How does cagrilintide work?
Cagrilintide is a long-acting drug that switches on the amylin receptor. Amylin is a fullness hormone separate from GLP-1, so it works on different docking spots, in the parts of the brain that make you feel full and slow stomach emptying. This site's profile says its half-life is about 7 days. Its molecular weight is about 3,700 daltons. On its own, 706 people at 26 weeks lost 6.0% to 10.8%, versus 3.0% on a dummy shot. Mixed with semaglutide as CagriSema, a smaller study in 92 adults with type 2 diabetes found 15.6% loss at 32 weeks, versus 5.1% on semaglutide alone and 8.1% on cagrilintide alone. CagriSema is still experimental. This FAQ does not invent a dose. Full record at /compounds/cagrilintide.
Studies in people from the compound pages this answer belongs to
- Cagrilintide
- Efficacy and safety of co-administered once-weekly cagrilintide 2.4 mg with once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg in type 2 diabetes: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, active-controlled, phase 2 trial 2023 PMID 37364590
- Once-weekly cagrilintide for weight management in people with overweight and obesity: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled and active-controlled, dose-finding phase 2 trial 2021 PMID 34798060
- Cagrilintide-Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes (REDEFINE 2) 2025 PMID 40544432
Educational use only. This database summarizes published research and is not medical advice. Where a dose appears it is a record of what a trial or clinic ran, or what people describe doing, with its source attached. Nothing here is a recommendation for personal use.
Part of glp-1 and metabolic peptides. Semaglutide, tirzepatide, retatrutide, and the rest of the incretin and glucagon receptor family.