Why Popular Diabetes Drugs Like Ozempic Don’t Work for Everyone: The “Genetic Glitch”

A Stanford-led study found that about 10% of people may carry genetic variants that reduce the blood-sugar-lowering effect of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

People with these variants responded less well to treatment even when GLP-1 levels were high, pointing to a form of GLP-1 resistance.

The effect appears linked to the PAM enzyme, suggesting genetics may help explain why some patients with type 2 diabetes benefit less from these medicines.

The findings could support precision medicine by helping doctors identify who is less likely to respond and choose diabetes treatments more effectively.