Each year, the Lasker Awards honor a number of medical professionals doing standout work in research and public service. The New York Times has called the awards “the nation’s most prestigious medical prizes.

Three scientists are honored for developing a class of blockbuster weight-loss drugs. Is a Nobel prize on the way?

One of the researchers described the circumstances that led to the discovery as “serendipity.” This year’s prestigious Lasker medical awards recognize a trio of scientists without whom Ozempic and other blockbuster weight-loss drugs might not exist.

James Chen, a professor of microbiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has won a Lasker Award for his discovery of an enzyme involved in immune response.

Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are booming in popularity, but experts warn they aren't silver bullets for obesity.