Overview
Cagrilintide is a long-acting, acylated analogue of amylin, the satiety hormone co-secreted with insulin by pancreatic beta cells. Native amylin is short-lived and prone to forming amyloid aggregates; cagrilintide was engineered by Novo Nordisk for stability and a half-life of about a week, and it activates both amylin and calcitonin receptors.
A phase 2 trial published in The Lancet in 2021 examined cagrilintide alone across several exposure levels and reported exposure-dependent weight reductions compared with placebo. It has since been developed mainly in a fixed combination with semaglutide, known as CagriSema, which has been evaluated in the phase 3 REDEFINE programme in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Cagrilintide is not approved as a standalone medicine. Our product is a research-grade reference peptide for amylin-receptor and satiety research.
Mechanism studied
- Cagrilintide
- AMY & calcitonin receptors
- Hindbrain satiety signalling
- Food-intake endpoints
Cagrilintide activates amylin receptors — complexes of the calcitonin receptor with receptor activity-modifying proteins — as well as the calcitonin receptor itself. In the area postrema and other hindbrain regions, this signalling promotes satiety and reduces meal size. Amylin agonism also slows gastric emptying and suppresses postprandial glucagon. Because these pathways are distinct from GLP-1 receptor signalling, combining the two classes has been studied for additive effects on appetite and body weight.
Research highlights
- 01Acylated amylin analogue engineered to resist aggregation, with a weekly half-life
- 02Non-selective agonist at amylin and calcitonin receptors
- 03Phase 2 monotherapy results published in The Lancet (2021)
- 04Developed in combination with semaglutide as CagriSema
- 05Not approved as a standalone medicine
Research areas
- Amylin receptor pharmacology
- Satiety signalling research
- Combination incretin studies
- Gastric emptying models
Evidence & regulatory status
Overall status: Not approved — phase 3 clinical research
Key references
- [1]Lau et al., 2021 — Lancet 398:2160–2172
- [2]PubMed — reviews on cagrilintide
Latest published research
126 papers on PubMed →Amylin and the renin-angiotensin system: risk or opportunity in amylin-based therapy?
Muskiet MHA et al. · Lancet (London, England) · 2026 Dec 20 · PMID 41207308
Co-agonism of GLP-1R and CTR/AMYR in the lateral dorsal tegmental nucleus produces additive effects on homeostatic and motivated feeding
Sanchez-Navarro MJ et al. · Physiology & behavior · 2026 Nov 1 · PMID 42603595
Continued CagriSema treatment preserves weight loss by reducing energy intake and maintaining energy expenditure in rats
Petersen LM et al. · Molecular metabolism · 2026 Oct 28 · PMID 42951207
Efficacy and Safety of CagriSema in Type 2 Diabetes: A Dose- and Comparator-Specific Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis
Kow CS et al. · Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2026 Oct 27 · PMID 42935221
Design and baseline characteristics of the CagriSema cardiovascular outcomes trial (REDEFINE 3)
Cavender MA et al. · American heart journal · 2026 Oct 6 · PMID 42838477
CagriSema versus Semaglutide 2.4 mg monotherapy for weight management in adults with overweight or obesity, with or without type 2 diabetes: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis
Rasool ZK et al. · Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026 · PMID 42890523
Gastrointestinal adverse effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists: A narrative expert review of approved therapies, oral formulations, and pipeline agents
Singhani V et al. · Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition · 2026 Oct · PMID 42808923
Cagrilintide and retatrutide combination therapy enhances weight loss and metabolic outcomes in obese male rats
Petersen J et al. · Nature metabolism · 2026 Oct · PMID 42744908
Live feed from PubMed (NCBI) for “Cagrilintide”, updated 2026-10-30. Listing a paper is not an endorsement of its findings.
Registered studies
44 on ClinicalTrials.gov →- RecruitingPhase 1
Evaluation of the Tolerability of Cagrilintide in Participants Not Tolerating GLP-1-RA Therapies Due to Gastrointestinal Adverse Events
NCT07607587 · Novo Nordisk A/S · 2026-05-29
- RecruitingPhase 3
A Research Study to See How Much CagriSema Lowers Blood Sugar and Body Weight Compared to Placebo in Children and Adolescents With Type 2 Diabetes
NCT07282613 · Novo Nordisk A/S · 2026-08-04
- CompletedPhase 3
A Research Study to See How Much CagriSema Lowers Blood Sugar and Body Weight Compared to Tirzepatide in People With Type 2 Diabetes Treated With Metformin With or Without an SGLT2 Inhibitor
NCT06221969 · Novo Nordisk A/S · 2024-01-16
- CompletedPhase 3
A Research Study to See How Much CagriSema Lowers Blood Sugar and Body Weight Compared to Tirzepatide in People With Type 2 Diabetes Treated With Metformin, SGLT2 Inhibitor or Both
NCT06534411 · Novo Nordisk A/S · 2024-11-05
- Active not recruitingPhase 3
Weight Loss in People Living With Overweight or Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Following Treatment With Cagrilintide
NCT07220759 · Novo Nordisk A/S · 2025-11-05
- Active not recruitingPhase 3
A Research Study to See How Well CagriSema Helps People With Excess Body Weight Lose Weight
NCT05567796 · Novo Nordisk A/S · 2022-11-01
- RecruitingPhase 3
A Research Study to Look at How Two Different Doses of CagriSema and One Dose of Semaglutide Help People Living With Obesity With or Without Type 2 Diabetes Lose Weight
NCT07564414 · Novo Nordisk A/S · 2026-05-21
- Active not recruitingPhase 3
A Research Study to Look at How Well CagriSema Helps People Living With Obesity Lose Weight and Maintain Weight Loss in the Long-term
NCT07011667 · Novo Nordisk A/S · 2025-06-03
From the public ClinicalTrials.gov registry for “Cagrilintide”, updated 2026-10-30. Shown for research context only; Purity Peptides products are not for human use.
FAQ
Cagrilintide acts on amylin and calcitonin receptors, mainly in the hindbrain, rather than on the GLP-1 receptor. Because the pathways are distinct, researchers study the two classes both separately and together to understand additive effects on satiety, gastric emptying and body weight.
Lyophilized Cagrilintide 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 Cagrilintide 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.
Last updated October 2026 · Reviewed by the Purity Peptides research team · Information is a summary of published literature and is not a recommendation for any use.
