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Metabolic & GLP-1 · Reference monograph

Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist

Reference compound — not available from Purity Peptides. Shown for research context.

Overview

Semaglutide is a incretin peptides.">GLP-1 receptor agonist developed by Novo Nordisk, sharing about 94% sequence identity with native human GLP-1. Two structural changes underpin its long half-life: an α-aminoisobutyric acid at position 8 that resists DPP-4 cleavage, and a C18 fatty diacid on lysine 26 that binds albumin, yielding a half-life of roughly one week.

Semaglutide has one of the largest clinical evidence bases of any peptide. It has been studied extensively in the SUSTAIN, STEP and SELECT clinical trial programmes, which examined glycaemic, body-weight and cardiovascular endpoints. It is approved as the prescription medicines Ozempic, Rybelsus (an oral tablet) and Wegovy. Our product is the research-grade reference peptide intended for receptor pharmacology, analytical and in vitro studies and animal models.">preclinical work, not a medicinal product.

Mechanism studied

  1. Semaglutide
  2. GLP-1 receptor
  3. Insulin, glucagon & satiety
  4. Weight & glucose endpoints

Semaglutide activates the GLP-1 receptor, a class B G protein-coupled receptor that signals mainly through Gs and cAMP. In pancreatic beta cells this enhances glucose-dependent insulin secretion, while in alpha cells it suppresses glucagon release. Receptors in the brainstem and hypothalamus mediate reduced appetite and food intake, and gastric emptying is slowed. Albumin binding via its fatty-acid side chain limits renal clearance and protects against degradation, sustaining receptor exposure over several days in clinical pharmacokinetic studies.

Research highlights

  • 01About 94% homology with native GLP-1, with Aib8 and a C18 diacid side chain
  • 02STEP 1 reported mean body-weight reduction near 15% at 68 weeks
  • 03Cardiovascular outcomes studied in SUSTAIN-6 and SELECT
  • 04Available as both a weekly formulation and an oral tablet (Rybelsus)
  • 05Approved prescription medicine; our material is a research reference

Latest published research

5,922 papers on PubMed →

  1. Metabolic effects of a GLP-1 analog combined with aerobic training in ovariectomized rats

    Selau B et al. · Molecular and cellular endocrinology · 2027 Jan · PMID 42727623

  2. Pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes regarding GLP-1 receptor agonist adverse effects in obesity management: a cross-sectional study

    Khojah AA et al. · The Libyan journal of medicine · 2026 Dec 31 · PMID 42886550

  3. Hunger pain and its reduction; qualitative insight from people with schizophrenia on semaglutide

    Rasmussen BS et al. · International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2026 Dec 31 · PMID 42610532

  4. Intrathecal semaglutide attenuates burn injury-induced pain in mice through a spinal GLP-1R-linked enkephalin/δ-opioid receptor pathway

    He Y et al. · Neuropharmacology · 2026 Dec 15 · PMID 42669356

  5. ATR-FTIR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate analysis for monitoring degradation and secondary structure transitions in therapeutic peptide formulations

    Godzo H et al. · Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy · 2026 Dec 15 · PMID 42330703

  6. Economic evaluation of tirzepatide, semaglutide, and liraglutide in the treatment of obese and overweight patients without diabetes: a short-term cost-effectiveness analysis in Iran

    Reiszadeh N et al. · Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders · 2026 Dec · PMID 42894545

  7. Evaluating the safety of glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist use in non-diabetic overweight patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty

    Hummel A et al. · Journal of shoulder and elbow arthroplasty · 2026 Dec · PMID 42892915

  8. The pharmacotherapy for pediatric obesity: insights and challenges from adult weight-loss medications

    Chen Z et al. · Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders · 2026 Dec · PMID 42871568

Live feed from PubMed (NCBI) for “Semaglutide”, updated 2026-10-30. Listing a paper is not an endorsement of its findings.

Registered studies

793 on ClinicalTrials.gov →

From the public ClinicalTrials.gov registry for “Semaglutide”, updated 2026-10-30. Shown for research context only; Purity Peptides products are not for human use.

Key references

  1. [1]Wilding et al., 2021 — N Engl J Med 384:989–1002
  2. [2]Marso et al., 2016 — N Engl J Med
  3. [3]Manufacturer's prescribing information — FDA / EMA / ANVISA

FAQ

  • No. Approved semaglutide medicines such as Ozempic and Wegovy are manufactured and released under pharmaceutical regulations. Our semaglutide is a research-grade reference peptide for analytical, in-vitro and preclinical laboratory studies only. It is not for human or veterinary use.

  • Lyophilized Semaglutide is normally kept sealed at −20 °C, protected from light and moisture. Once reconstituted for laboratory work, aliquots are held at 2–8 °C for short-term use or frozen, avoiding repeated freeze–thaw. Follow the lot-specific guidance on the certificate of analysis.

  • Every lot of Semaglutide ships with a certificate of analysis reporting HPLC purity, mass-spectrometry identity against the expected molecular weight, appearance and lot number. Match the COA lot to the vial label and keep it with your experimental records.

FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY.Not for human or veterinary use. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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