Category · 51 entries
Metabolic & Weight Loss
GLP-1 agonists and related metabolic peptides.
5-Amino-1MQ
A small-molecule NNMT inhibitor studied in preclinical obesity models for its ability to raise intracellular NAD+ and suppress lipogenesis, with no published human trials as of 2026.
Albiglutide
A once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist made by fusing two copies of GLP-1 to human albumin. FDA-approved in 2014 as Tanzeum and now discontinued, it cut major cardiovascular events by 22% against placebo in Harmony Outcomes.
Amylin
Insulin's co-secreted partner — the native satiety hormone behind pramlintide (Symlin) and the amylin component of CagriSema.
AOD-9604
A 16-amino-acid piece of growth hormone that trimmed fat in obese rodents; in company trials it was well tolerated, but its largest obesity trial found no significant weight loss and development stopped in 2007.
Avexitide
The opposite of a GLP-1 drug: a peptide that blocks the GLP-1 receptor to curb the insulin surges behind low blood sugar after gastric bypass. Phase 3 LUCIDITY reported 55% fewer serious hypoglycaemic events than placebo; not yet approved.
Beinaglutide
Recombinant human GLP-1 with the natural 30-amino-acid GLP-1(7-36) sequence, injected three times daily; used for type 2 diabetes in China, and in a 16-week phase 3 trial it cut weight by 6.0% against 2.4% on placebo. Not FDA- or EMA-approved.
Cagrilintide
Novo Nordisk's weekly, lipidated amylin analogue: up to 10.8% weight loss alone in a 26-week phase 2 trial, and with semaglutide as CagriSema 20.4% over 68 weeks in REDEFINE 1. Investigational; not approved anywhere.
Ceruletide
A peptide that mimics cholecystokinin: once a diagnostic aid for the gut and pancreas, now best known as the standard way to cause pancreatitis in laboratory animals.
Cholecystokinin
The gut hormone that empties the gallbladder after meals; its octapeptide, sincalide (Kinevac), is FDA-approved for diagnostic tests.
Dapiglutide
A peptide that hits both GLP-1 and the gut-growth receptor GLP-2: promising for short bowel in mice, modest for weight loss in people.
Dasiglucagon
A glucagon analogue stable in solution, so it needs no mixing before an emergency injection. Approved as Zegalogue in 2021 for severe low blood sugar; Drugs@FDA now lists both Zegalogue presentations as discontinued.
Dulaglutide
A once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist built on an antibody fragment (Trulicity), approved since 2014 for type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 and older. In REWIND it cut major cardiovascular events by 12%; semaglutide beat it head to head.
Ecnoglutide
Sciwind's once-weekly, cAMP-biased GLP-1 analogue (half-life 124-138 h): approved in China for type 2 diabetes (January 2026) and chronic weight management (March 2026) after phase 3 trials, including 13.2% weight loss at 40 weeks. Not FDA- or EMA-approved.
Efinopegdutide
A GLP-1 and glucagon dual agonist that failed to stand out for weight loss, then found a second life in fatty liver disease, where it cut liver fat by almost three-quarters.
Eloralintide
Lilly's weekly amylin agonist: up to 20% weight loss at 48 weeks in phase 2, now in five phase 3 trials and paired with tirzepatide as EloraTZP.
Etelcalcetide
An intravenous calcimimetic peptide given three times a week at the end of dialysis. Approved as Parsabiv for secondary hyperparathyroidism in adults on hemodialysis; in a head-to-head trial, 68.2% on etelcalcetide cut parathyroid hormone by more than 30% against 57.7% on cinacalcet.
Exenatide
The first GLP-1 receptor agonist (Byetta, 2005), a synthetic copy of a Gila monster venom peptide: safe for the heart in EXSCEL without proving benefit, outperformed by weekly semaglutide head to head, and negative in a phase 3 Parkinson's trial.
GIP
The 'other incretin' — the endogenous hormone that tirzepatide and retatrutide co-target alongside GLP-1, driving additive weight loss and metabolic benefits.
GLP-2
GLP-1's sibling hormone — a potent intestinal growth factor that drives gut epithelial repair, and the native molecule behind teduglutide (Gattex).
Glucagon
Insulin's counterweight and the rescue drug for severe low blood sugar, now sold as a nasal powder and a ready-filled pen.
Insulin aspart
Novo Nordisk's rapid-acting insulin analogue (NovoLog / NovoRapid, approved 2000): one amino-acid change at B28 brings its peak to 40–50 minutes after injection, against 80–120 for regular human insulin. Fiasp (2017) adds niacinamide and L-arginine for faster early absorption, and US biosimilars followed from 2025.
Insulin degludec
Novo Nordisk's ultra-long-acting insulin (Tresiba, 2015) — forms soluble multi-hexamers in SC tissue that slowly dissociate for a >42-hour half-life and a flat, forgiving dosing window; the basal insulin with the lowest hypoglycemia risk profile.
Insulin degludec / liraglutide (IDegLira)
Insulin degludec and liraglutide in one daily pen at a fixed ratio: more HbA1c lowering than either alone, with a boxed thyroid warning.
Insulin detemir
Novo Nordisk's fatty-acid-acylated basal insulin (Levemir, 2005) — the myristoyl chain enables reversible albumin binding, extending the half-life; Novo Nordisk announced global discontinuation in December 2023 (US supply ended 2024).
Insulin glargine
The dominant once-daily basal insulin for two decades (Lantus, Sanofi, 2000) — the pI-shift design causes microprecipitation in subcutaneous tissue for a nearly peakless 24-hour absorption profile; Toujeo (U-300) is the same molecule at 3× concentration.
Insulin glargine / lixisenatide (iGlarLixi)
Sanofi's fixed-ratio insulin/GLP-1 combo pen (Soliqua, FDA 2016) — 100 units/mL insulin glargine + 33 mcg/mL lixisenatide; a parallel to Xultophy, differentiated by using short-acting prandial-biased lixisenatide rather than liraglutide.
Insulin glulisine
Sanofi's rapid-acting insulin analog (Apidra, 2004) — the third rapid-acting analog approved, differentiated by being zinc-free in formulation, which gives it slightly faster monomeric onset than lispro or aspart.
Insulin icodec
The first once-weekly basal insulin: better HbA1c than daily insulin in type 2 diabetes, nearly double the serious hypos in type 1.
Insulin lispro
The first FDA-approved rapid-acting insulin analog (Humalog, Lilly, 1996) — the B28–B29 position swap prevents hexamer self-association, producing faster subcutaneous absorption than regular human insulin.
Liraglutide
The first once-daily GLP-1 analog to be FDA-approved for both type 2 diabetes (Victoza) and chronic weight management (Saxenda).
Lixisenatide
A short-acting, prandial GLP-1 agonist primarily used to target postprandial glucose excursions.
Lypressin
The pig form of vasopressin, sprayed into the nose to control diabetes insipidus before desmopressin made it obsolete.
Mazdutide
The first dual glucagon and GLP-1 agonist approved for weight loss anywhere, by China in June 2025; not approved in the US.
NPH insulin (isophane)
The classical intermediate-acting insulin — regular human insulin co-crystallized with protamine to produce ~12-hour action; still widely used for cost reasons despite being largely superseded by analog basal insulins for T1DM.
Orforglipron
Not a peptide: an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, FDA-approved on April 1, 2026 as Foundayo for weight management; at its top dose it cut weight 11.2% over 72 weeks in ATTAIN-1, against 2.1% on placebo.
Oxyntomodulin
The gut hormone that hits both GLP-1 and glucagon receptors: it cut food intake and weight in small trials and inspired the dual agonists such as survodutide and mazdutide.
Pancragen
A four-amino-acid Khavinson peptide aimed at the ageing pancreas: lower glucose in diabetic rats and old monkeys, one small human study, all from one research network.
Pentagastrin
A five-amino-acid gastrin mimic once used to test stomach acid output and to unmask medullary thyroid cancer by provoking calcitonin release.
Peptide YY
The postprandial 'stop eating' signal — an endogenous satiety peptide that reduces appetite via the Y2 receptor, and a pharmacological target for next-generation obesity drugs.
Pramlintide
The amylin analog sold as Symlin from 2005 and now discontinued in the US — taken at mealtimes alongside insulin in T1D and T2D. The pharmacological proof-of-concept for amylin agonism that petrelintide and cagrilintide are now building on.
Regular human insulin
The original recombinant human insulin (Humulin R, 1982) — unmodified native sequence, short-acting kinetics driven by hexamer self-association; U-500 concentration for severely insulin-resistant patients.
Retatrutide
An investigational triple hormone agonist that produced ~24% weight loss at 48 weeks in Phase 2 — the largest in any single-agent obesity trial to date.
Rusfertide
The first hepcidin mimetic approved anywhere: it controls polycythaemia vera by starving red-cell production of iron, replacing repeated phlebotomy.
Secretin
The first hormone ever discovered — a 27-amino-acid gut peptide that stimulates pancreatic bicarbonate secretion and opened the entire field of endocrinology in 1902.
Semaglutide
A once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management.
Setmelanotide
An MC4 receptor agonist peptide sold as Imcivree, approved in the US for obesity due to Bardet-Biedl syndrome or POMC, PCSK1 or LEPR deficiency (from age 2) and acquired hypothalamic obesity (from age 4). In hypothalamic obesity, BMI fell 16.5% against a 3.3% rise on placebo over 52 weeks.
Survodutide
A once-weekly glucagon/GLP-1 dual agonist: about 13% weight loss at 76 weeks in phase 3 and MASH improvement in phase 2, but not yet approved anywhere.
Teduglutide
FDA-approved GLP-2 analog (Gattex/Revestive, 2012) for short-bowel syndrome — the first disease-modifying treatment for SBS, reducing parenteral nutrition dependence by promoting intestinal mucosal growth.
Tirzepatide
A once-weekly GLP-1/GIP dual agonist that produced unprecedented weight loss in SURMOUNT trials — up to ~21% at highest dose.
Ulimorelin
A ghrelin-receptor drug that sped up the stomach but not the colon, which is why it failed for post-surgical ileus.
Vapreotide
A somatostatin analogue that improved bleeding control in cirrhosis in a New England Journal trial, yet never reached US approval.