Ozempic, Mounjaro research tipped for Nobel prize

The 2026 Nobel Medicine Prize, to be announced on October 5, may go to research that led to weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, according to Nobel watchers. This could include microbiome research, the discovery of leptin and ghrelin hormones that regulate satiety and hunger, and research into the hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) which drugs like Ozempic mimic.

GLP-1 has had a significant worldwide clinical impact, making it a likely candidate for the Nobel Prize, said David Pendlebury, who analyzes potential Nobel winners at data analytics firm Clarivate. Other potential winners include Canadian endocrinologist Daniel Drucker, Danish physician Jens Juul Holst, and Yugoslav-born American chemist Svetlana Mojsov.

If the Nobel committee were to choose a different area, stem cell research into skin regeneration could get the nod, with Elaine Fuchs and Fiona Watt recognized as leaders in the field. A new imaging technique called optical coherence tomography, which uses reflected light to create high-resolution images of biological tissues, could also be considered.

The prize for immunology, identified by US immunologist Timothy Springer, could be honored for its crucial role in directing the body's immune defenses. Other potential fields include breast cancer research and DNA sequencing that helped combat COVID-19. The Nobel Prize for Literature is expected to be awarded to a woman writer from Latin America, while the Nobel Peace Prize for 2026 is expected to be awarded in Oslo, with a possible laureate who enjoys broad consensus after last year's controversial winner.