AHA Scientific Sessions 2026 AbstractNov 9, 2026, 00:34 GMT

Exenatide lowered protein-based age scores in people

Over 12 months, exenatide lowered six organ-related age scores and limited a liver score’s rise compared with placebo in people with type 2 diabetes.

Paper by Jessica A. Regan, Maggie Nguyen, John B. Buse, +4Svati Hasmukh Shah · Duke University

Heart cross-sections, one large and dark blue-green, one smaller and gray, sit beneath blood cells with sparse versus dense protein fragments.

Our read

Interventions

Studied:: Randomized trial in 3,973 people with type 2 diabetes, 12 months, against placebo (Placebo-controlled)
What changed:: Exenatide lowered six organ-related age scores and limited a liver score’s rise compared with placebo
The catch:: Only participants with blood samples at both time points were included
In the record:: The 44th paper on exenatide with results in people; 228 on record in all.

Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News

Paper

People with type 2 diabetes—3,973 participants in a randomized trial—had blood samples analyzed at the start and 12 months later. The trial compared once-weekly exenatide with placebo. Researchers measured 4,979 blood proteins to calculate an overall biological age score and 11 scores based on proteins associated with particular organs.

Six scores fell with exenatide: those linked to the heart, pancreas, brain, arteries, fat tissue and muscle. The liver score rose less than with placebo. Gaps between protein-based age and age in years were also associated with later major cardiovascular events and hospitalization for heart failure. The heart aging score showed the strongest treatment effects and links to future cardiovascular risk.

Why it matters

The authors suggest that protein-based measures of organ aging may serve as markers of treatment response and targets for future therapies.

Caveats

Protein-based age scores are indirect measures; changes do not by themselves show better organ function or longer life. The analysis included only participants with blood samples at both time points and was reported as a conference abstract.