Category · 30 entries
Metabolic & Weight Loss
GLP-1 agonists and related metabolic peptides.
Albiglutide
An FDA- and EMA-approved once-weekly GLP-1 agonist (Tanzeum / Eperzan, GSK) withdrawn from the market in 2018 for commercial rather than safety reasons after failing to differentiate commercially against dulaglutide and semaglutide.
AOD-9604
A short GH fragment marketed heavily as a "fat-loss peptide" — but with a clinical record that has not supported meaningful weight loss in humans.
Beinaglutide
A recombinant native-sequence GLP-1 peptide approved in China (NMPA 2016) for type 2 diabetes and 2023 for obesity — notable as the only marketed GLP-1 RA with the native, unmodified human GLP-1(7-36) sequence, requiring three-times-daily dosing because of its short half-life.
Cagrilintide
A once-weekly amylin analog developed primarily as a combination partner for semaglutide (CagriSema), adding amylin-pathway appetite suppression to GLP-1 activity.
Dulaglutide
A weekly GLP-1 agonist for type 2 diabetes, delivered as a GLP-1/IgG4 fusion protein in a single-use auto-injector.
Ecnoglutide
Sciwind Biosciences' GLP-1 agonist — approved in China (NMPA, March 2026) for obesity and type 2 diabetes; not FDA-approved. Distinguished from other GLP-1s by "biased agonism" selectively activating cAMP over β-arrestin recruitment.
Exenatide
The first GLP-1 receptor agonist to reach market (2005), available in both twice-daily and weekly extended-release formulations.
Glucagon
The endogenous counter-regulatory hormone to insulin — FDA-approved for severe hypoglycemia (injectable GlucaGen, nasal Baqsimi, autoinjector Gvoke). Also the pharmacological template for GLP-1/glucagon dual agonists like Pemvidutide and Retatrutide.
Insulin aspart
Novo Nordisk's rapid-acting insulin analog (NovoLog / NovoRapid, approved 2000) — the B28 proline → aspartate substitution destabilizes hexamer formation, and the ultra-rapid Fiasp formulation (2017) adds niacinamide and L-arginine for even faster absorption.
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)
Novo Nordisk's fixed-ratio insulin/GLP-1 combo pen (Xultophy, FDA 2016) — 100 units/mL insulin degludec + 3.6 mg/mL liraglutide; simplifies T2DM therapy intensification into a single daily injection with additive glycemic benefit and less weight gain than basal insulin alone.
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
Novo Nordisk's once-weekly basal insulin (Awiqli, EMA 2024) — the first weekly insulin to reach market; FDA refused to approve in July 2024 (CRL citing type 1 diabetes hypoglycemia data), leaving it approved in the EU, UK, Canada, Switzerland, and Japan while pending US resubmission.
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.
Mazdutide
A weekly GLP-1/glucagon dual agonist approved in China for obesity (2025); the first OXM-mimetic to reach market.
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 — small molecule. A daily oral GLP-1 agonist in Phase 3 for obesity and T2DM, distinct from Rybelsus in being a small molecule rather than an oral peptide formulation. Included in this peptide encyclopedia because the audience frequently searches for it alongside peptide GLP-1 agonists.
Pramlintide
The FDA-approved amylin analog (Symlin, 2005) — 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.
Semaglutide
A once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management.
Setmelanotide
Rhythm Pharmaceuticals' Imcivree — the first and only FDA-approved MC4R agonist. Indicated for obesity due to POMC, PCSK1, or LEPR deficiency (2020) and Bardet-Biedl syndrome (2022). Restores downstream MC4R signaling when upstream leptin-melanocortin pathway components are genetically deficient.
Survodutide
A once-weekly GLP-1/glucagon co-agonist in late-stage trials for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and MASH.
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.