But let’s start from the beginning. The research began to find a drug that could help manage diabetes by stimulating insulin release, thus lowering blood sugar levels. Very quickly, pharmaceutical companies realized that one of the side effects of this drug was weight reduction. They decided to increase the dose and market it as a weight loss drug. And it seemed to work. In clinical trials, it was confirmed that the drug used in obese individuals resulted in a weight loss of about 15% of their body mass within a few weeks to months.