Incretin mimetics

Incretins are hormones that function to regulate energy balance in the body. An incretin mimetic is a type of drug that copies the action of naturally produced incretins, such as GLP-1, in your body. GLP-1, which is deficient in persons with diabetes, is an incretin that maintains blood glucose levels by increasing insulin production in the pancreas, decreasing the release of glucagon (a hormone which controls the release of glucose from the liver after meals), promoting a feeling of fullness after eating a meal and slowing the emptying of the stomach’s contents to allow more time for food absorption. Unlike naturally produced GLP-1, which is inactivated rapidly in your body, incretin mimetics are designed to have much longer lasting effects.