Cagrilintide
Amylin / calcitonin analog (long-acting)
Long-acting amylin agonism — and a powerful combo with GLP-1.
Half-life
~ several days (once-weekly)
Mol. weight
~ 3.7 kDa (modified amylin analog)
Sequence
Long-acting amylin/calcitonin analog
Discussions
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Overview
Cagrilintide is a long-acting amylin (islet amyloid polypeptide, IAPP) calcitonin receptor agonist developed for obesity. Amylin is co-secreted with insulin and complements GLP-1's effects on satiety and gastric emptying; cagrilintide is engineered for long duration and is studied both alone and in combination with semaglutide (cagrilintide + semaglutide, or CagriSema) for additive weight loss.
Mechanism of action
Amylin is co-secreted from pancreatic beta cells alongside insulin and acts centrally to suppress glucagon, slow gastric emptying, and induce satiety. Cagrilintide is a modified analog of amylin designed for long-acting calcitonin-receptor agonism with once-weekly dosing. Because amylin and GLP-1 act on complementary pathways (both reducing appetite but via distinct mechanisms), combining cagrilintide with semaglutide is studied for additive weight-loss effect.
Researched benefits
- Suppresses appetite via amylin signaling
- Slows gastric emptying and reduces glucagon
- Long-acting (weekly) amylin agonism
- Studied in combination with semaglutide (CagriSema) for additive weight loss
Considerations
- Investigational; not yet approved
- GI side effects expected (amylin class)
- Combination with GLP-1 amplifies both efficacy and side-effect burden
- Requires medical supervision
Key Academic Literature & Studies
Search more in PubMedPeer-reviewed citations and clinical trials evaluating Cagrilintide in scientific literature.
Query PubMed for recent peer-reviewed preclinical and clinical publications on Cagrilintide:
View Cagrilintide index on PubMed (NCBI)