Capromorelin
An oral ghrelin mimetic approved to stimulate appetite in dogs and manage weight loss in cats
Capromorelin activates the ghrelin receptor, raising hunger and growth hormone release. It has been studied in a few people, but its approvals are veterinary: Entyce for appetite stimulation in dogs in May 2016 and Elura for weight loss in cats with chronic kidney disease in 2020.
What is it?
In dogs with poor appetite, capromorelin improved appetite and body weight against placebo in a masked trial and raised food intake by over 60% in another, and in cats with chronic kidney disease it maintained or increased body weight. Diarrhoea and vomiting in dogs and hypersalivation in cats were the side effects that stood out, and longer safety studies in cats found no clinically relevant laboratory changes.
In people there is one published study: a phase I single-dose trial in people with spinal cord injury and able-bodied volunteers, run because it might ease constipation after spinal injury, found it well tolerated with exposure rising with dose. Pharmacokinetics were broadly similar in the two groups, though more variable after spinal cord injury, with a slightly later peak. No human product is approved.
At a Glance
Every value in this table is printed from the Grey Peptides dataset, the same record the compound explorer and comparison tool read, so the three can never disagree.
Educational information, not medical advice. The doses on this page come from approved labels, published studies and, where no study exists, amounts reported by users. None is a recommendation for you. An unapproved compound has no established safe or effective human dose, and products sold for “research use only” are not made or tested for people. Talk to a doctor before acting on anything on this site, including before you start, stop or change any medicine or dose. Full medical disclaimer.
Published Research
One study in people and several in dogs and cats, read from their PubMed abstracts, with a 2024 review.
The human study
In able-bodied volunteers and people with spinal cord injury given single oral doses of 20, 50 and 100 mg, exposure rose with dose, minor adverse events resolved without treatment, and blood pressure and heart rate did not change.
Dogs with poor appetite
In a masked trial, 68.6% of dogs on capromorelin had improved appetite against 44.6% on placebo, and body weight rose 1.8% against 0.1%; diarrhoea and vomiting were the commonest reactions.
Food intake in dogs
Capromorelin oral solution raised food consumption by over 60% against placebo and body weight by 5.96% against 0.05%, and was well tolerated.
Cats with kidney disease
In cats with chronic kidney disease and weight loss, capromorelin added about 0.25 kg against placebo; hypersalivation occurred only with capromorelin.
Safety in cats
In two studies of daily oral capromorelin across a range of doses and durations in cats, vomiting, hypersalivation, lethargy, head shaking and lip smacking were more frequent than on placebo, with no clinically relevant laboratory differences.
Veterinary approvals
A review recording FDA approval of Entyce for appetite stimulation in dogs in May 2016 and of Elura for weight loss in cats with chronic kidney disease in 2020.
Side Effects & Contraindications
Reported Side Effects
From the studies.
Contraindications & Cautions
No human label exists.
Legal Status
Approved for animals only.
Frequently Asked Questions
?Is capromorelin approved for people?
No. Its approvals are veterinary: Entyce for dogs and Elura for cats.
?How does it compare with macimorelin and anamorelin?
All three act on the ghrelin receptor; macimorelin is approved for people as a one-off diagnostic test, while capromorelin is approved only for dogs and cats.
?Has it been tested in people?
In one phase I single-dose study in people with spinal cord injury and able-bodied volunteers, which found it well tolerated.
?Why was it studied after spinal cord injury?
The 2015 phase I study tested it as a potential treatment for constipation following spinal cord injury; no later human trial is in the sources read.
References
- [clinical-trial] Ellis AG, et al. "Pharmacokinetics of the ghrelin agonist capromorelin in a single ascending dose Phase-I safety trial in spinal cord-injured and able-bodied volunteers." Spinal Cord, 2015;53(2):103-8. PMID: 25448190.
- [pubmed] Zollers B, et al. "A Prospective, Randomized, Masked, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study of Capromorelin in Dogs with Reduced Appetite." J Vet Intern Med, 2016;30(6):1851-1857. PMID: 27859746.
- [pubmed] Zollers B, et al. "Capromorelin oral solution (ENTYCE®) increases food consumption and body weight when administered for 4 consecutive days to healthy adult Beagle dogs in a randomized, masked, placebo controlled study." BMC Vet Res, 2017;13(1):10. PMID: 28056951.
- [pubmed] Wofford JA, et al. "Capromorelin promotes weight gain in cats with unintended weight loss: a randomized, masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial." J Feline Med Surg, 2025;27(11):1098612X251379924. PMID: 41204815.
- [pubmed] Wofford JA, et al. "Evaluation of the safety of daily administration of capromorelin in cats." J Vet Pharmacol Ther, 2018;41(2):324-333. PMID: 29057482.
- [review] Rathore M, et al. "Insights on discovery, efficacy, safety and clinical applications of ghrelin receptor agonist capromorelin in veterinary medicine." Vet Res Commun, 2024;48(1):1-10. PMID: 37493940.
Sources & Citations
Studies from their PubMed abstracts; veterinary approvals from a 2024 review; human status from Drugs@FDA (searched October 1, 2026).
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and nothing here is an instruction to obtain or use any compound. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before making health decisions.