KIU Publications

Obesity is a significant health issue worldwide, and a key risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and related complications. Incretin-based therapies, especially glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) and Incretin-based therapies, particularly glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and dual or triple agonists targeting glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) have enhanced the metabolic regulation and therapy of obesity. Nevertheless, their clinical use is limited by enzymatic degradation, short biological half-life, low bioavailability, frequent administration, and systemic adverse effects. This review looks into the physiological functions of incretin hormones, the primary constraints of the present incretin-based treatment, and how nanotechnology can enhance their administration. It reviews lipid-based, polymeric, biomimetic, and stimuli- responsive nanocarriers looking at the benefits of peptide stability, release control, oral, injectable delivery, and targeting to metabolically important tissues, including the liver, adipose tissue, and brain. Formulation strategies that are included in the review development include polyethylene glycol (PEG) and biomimetic coatings, and newer strategies that include artificial intelligence (AI) are not yet widely explored, but the concepts have been intergraded. On the whole, nanotechnology has the potential to enhance incretin therapy but additional studies on safety, scalable manufacturing and clinical translation are required before such systems can be used in medical care.