---
title: "Incretin research at Profil: functions and studies"
description: Profil Germany has been involved in clinical trials for incretin development for many years, making us experts in this area.
---

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# [![Incretins](https://www.profil.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/Header/Header_1077x260px_Diabetes_Treatment.jpg?width=1077&height=260&name=Header_1077x260px_Diabetes_Treatment.jpg) Incretins Profil has extensive expertise development of incretin hormones.](https://www.profil.com/expertise/incretins#)

## The role of incretins in diabetes and obesity treatment

Incretin hormones are intestinally derived hormones stimulating glucose-dependent insulin secretion in response to food intake. Incretin hormones play an important role in glucose homeostasis.

The first incretin hormone identified was gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), which is also referred to as glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide. In the early 1980s, glucagon-like peptide (GLP‑1) was discovered as a proglucagon cleavage product produced in intestinal L cells.

GLP-1 is an incretin hormone with multiple glucoregulatory actions, including enhancement of glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppression of inappropriately elevated glucagon secretion, slowing of gastric emptying, and reduction of food intake and body weight. Postprandial secretion of GLP-1 is reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes, suggesting that the GLP-1 signaling pathway is an attractive therapeutic target. However, GLP-1 is rapidly degraded by the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase-IV and has a relatively short half-life.

The therapeutic potential of the GLP-1 pathway has led to the development of a class of compounds that share several glucoregulatory actions with GLP-1 but are resistant to dipeptidyl peptidase-IV degradation.

GLP-1 receptor agonists provide significant improvements in HbA1c, and this class of drugs also helps to decrease the risk of hypoglycemia and promote weight loss. Several drugs in the class have shown positive results in cardiovascular outcome trials in diabetes and most recently also in obesity. 

### Incretin research at Profil

 Profil was involved into the development of numerous GLP-1 receptor agonists over the last 15 years and Profil services supported several new GLP-1 drug developments from the early phase clinical trials up to marketing authorization.

Based on this specific experience Profil is now involved in new drug developments exploring the synergistic metabolic benefits of simultaneous modulation of e.g. glucagon, GLP-1 and GIP receptors through a single-molecule. These novel dual-acting peptides have the potential to be an effective pharmacological approach targeting obesity and diabetes.

![consultation](https://www.profil.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/piktos/Icon_NewWebinar.png?width=62&height=70&name=Icon_NewWebinar.png)

### Online Seminar

On-Demand Online Seminar:

****"******ClampArt®:**

**Next Generation**

**Glucose Clamps****"**

 

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![hans](https://www.profil.com/hs-fs/hubfs/hans.png?width=154&height=176&name=hans.png)

### Our expert

**Dr. Hans de Vries  
**

Lead Scientist

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![Clinic picture](https://www.profil.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/content-bilder/Anitidiabetics/Antidiabetics_Content1.png?width=470&height=220&name=Antidiabetics_Content1.png)

![blank.jpg](https://www.profil.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/piktos/Icon_References.png?width=49&height=49&name=Icon_References.png)

#### References

 We have published with the following sponsors:   
![Referenzen](https://www.profil.com/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/content-bilder/Referenzen.gif "Referenzen")

[View more](https://www.profil.com/knowledge-center/references?hsLang=en-us)

![blank.jpg](https://www.profil.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/piktos/Icon_Certificates.png?width=44&height=49&name=Icon_Certificates.png)

#### Certificates

| ![13485_Zertifikatssiegel_black_A3](https://www.profil.com/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/piktos/ISO_134852016_certificate_blue.png) ISO 13485:2016 ![27001_Zertifikatssiegel](https://www.profil.com/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/piktos/ISO_27001_certificate_.png) ISO 27001 | ![9001:2015_Zertifikatssiegel](https://www.profil.com/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/piktos/ISO_9001-2015_certificate.png) ISO 9001:2015 ![9001:2015_Zertifikatssiegel](https://www.profil.com/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/piktos/BVMA_Logo_Certificate_size.png) BVMA Member |
| --- | --- |

![blank.jpg](https://www.profil.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BLUE_MOON/piktos/Icon_Publications.png?width=44&height=49&name=Icon_Publications.png)

#### Publications

 Meier, J. J. et. al. 2020. Effects of sequential treatment with lixisenatide, insulin glargine, or their combination on meal-related glycaemic excursions, insulin and glucagon secretion, and gastric emptying in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2020 Apr;22(4):599-611.

[View all](https://www.profil.com/knowledge-center/publications?hsLang=en-us)

###### Profil Institut für Stoffwechselforschung GmbH

Hellersbergstraße 9 · 41460 - Neuss, Germany  
Telefon +49-2131-4018-345 · marketing@profil.com  
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