What is "exenatide"

n. (context medicine English) A synthetic polypeptide that mimics the hormone incretin and is used for the treatment of diabetes

Exenatide (, INN, marketed as Byetta, Bydureon) is a glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (GLP-1 agonist) medication, belonging to the group of incretin mimetics, approved in April 2005 for the treatment of diabetes mellitus type 2. Exenatide in its Byetta form is administered as a subcutaneous injection (under the skin) of the abdomen, thigh, or arm, any time within the 60 minutes before the first and last meal of the day. A once-weekly injection has been approved as of January 27, 2012 under the trademark Bydureon. It is manufactured by Amylin Pharmaceuticals and commercialized by AstraZeneca.