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Nature Biotechnology 26, 1204 (1 November 2008) | doi:10.1038/nbt1108-1204b

Deaths stalk GLP-1 agonist

Jodi Hyer

The type 2 diabetes drug Byetta (exenatide) has been linked to the deaths of six people with acute nectrotizing or hemorrhagic pancreatitis, prompting the US Food and Drug Administration to call for stronger label warnings. Amylin, of San Diego, and Eli Lilly, of Indianapolis, which co-market the drug, admit the association between Byetta usage and acute pancreatitis is possible, although it is unclear what role glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists played in causing the fatal symptoms.