Danuglipron
Pfizer's oral small-molecule GLP-1 pill, dropped in 2025 after a liver-injury case and heavy dropout
Danuglipron is a small molecule, not a peptide, that switches on the GLP-1 receptor from a pill. It lowered glucose and weight in trials, but nausea and vomiting drove many participants to stop, and Pfizer ended the programme in April 2025 after a case of possible drug-induced liver injury.
What is it?
Danuglipron is listed here because it is often discussed alongside peptide GLP-1 drugs, but it is a small molecule. It binds the GLP-1 receptor at a different site from the peptide drugs and can be taken as a pill without the absorption problems that make oral peptides hard to deliver.
In people with type 2 diabetes it worked as intended. In a 16-week trial of 411 patients, HbA1c fell by up to 1.16 points more than placebo at 120 mg twice daily, with up to 4.17 kg more weight loss at the highest dose. An earlier dose-finding study found similar glucose effects but discontinuation rates of 27% to 73% across dose groups, mostly from side effects.
Tolerability was the problem in obesity too. In a phase 2b trial of 628 adults, placebo-adjusted weight loss ranged from 5.0% to 12.9%, but only 39% completed treatment, and about 38% stopped because of adverse events, mostly nausea and vomiting. Pfizer abandoned the twice-daily version and was testing a once-daily form when it halted the programme in April 2025 after a single case of potential drug-induced liver injury.
Its story is a useful contrast with the approved oral options: oral semaglutide, a peptide with an absorption enhancer, and orforglipron, a small molecule approved in 2026. Danuglipron is not available, and anything sold under its name is not Pfizer's drug.
Because less than 1% of a dose leaves unchanged through the kidneys, a single-dose study found impaired kidney function did not meaningfully change its blood levels.
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
These are the trials read from their PubMed abstracts on October 5, 2026.
Phase 2b in obesity: 628 adults
Placebo-adjusted weight loss ranged from 5.0% to 12.9% across doses, but only 39.3% completed treatment: about 38% stopped for adverse events, chiefly nausea and vomiting, and 22% for other reasons. Most events were mild.
16 weeks in type 2 diabetes: 411 patients
HbA1c fell by up to 1.16 points and fasting glucose by up to 33 mg/dL more than placebo; weight fell significantly only at the two highest doses (up to 4.17 kg). Nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting were the commonest adverse events; 77% completed treatment.
Dose-finding in diabetes and obesity
In 123 people with type 2 diabetes and 28 with obesity, discontinuation ran 27% to 73% across danuglipron groups against 17% to 19% on placebo, mostly for adverse events; nausea affected 20% to 48% and vomiting 18% to 41% in the diabetes cohort.
Kidney function does not change its levels
In 39 people with normal kidneys or mild to severe kidney impairment, a single 20 mg dose gave similar pharmacokinetics across groups; less than 1% left unchanged in urine, and the dose was well tolerated.
Side Effects & Contraindications
Reported Side Effects
From the trial abstracts and the developer's discontinuation notice.
Contraindications & Cautions
There is no approved label, so no formal contraindications exist.
Legal Status
Discontinued; never approved.
Frequently Asked Questions
?Is danuglipron a peptide?
No. It is an oral small molecule that activates the GLP-1 receptor, unlike peptide drugs such as semaglutide.
?Why was danuglipron discontinued?
Pfizer stopped it in April 2025 after a case of potential drug-induced liver injury, following trials in which nausea and vomiting led many participants to stop.
?Are there approved GLP-1 pills?
Yes: oral semaglutide, a peptide, and orforglipron, a small molecule approved in 2026.
References
- [pubmed] Buckeridge C, et al. "Efficacy and safety of danuglipron (PF-06882961) in adults with obesity: A randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging phase 2b study." Diabetes Obes Metab, 2025;27(9):4915-4926. PMID: 40539310.
- [pubmed] Saxena AR, et al. "Efficacy and Safety of Oral Small Molecule Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist Danuglipron for Glycemic Control Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Clinical Trial." JAMA Netw Open, 2023;6(5):e2314493. PMID: 37213102.
- [pubmed] Saxena AR, et al. "Tolerability, safety and pharmacodynamics of oral, small-molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist danuglipron for type 2 diabetes: A 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 study comparing different dose-escalation schemes." Diabetes Obes Metab, 2023;25(10):2805-2814. PMID: 37311722.
- [news-release] Pfizer Inc. "Pfizer Provides Update on Oral GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Danuglipron." Press release, April 14, 2025.
- [clinicaltrials] NCT04707313 — Phase 2b danuglipron in obesity. ClinicalTrials.gov.
- [clinicaltrials] NCT06567327, NCT06568731 — once-daily danuglipron dose-optimization studies. ClinicalTrials.gov.
- [clinical-trial] Fediuk DJ, et al. "Effect of Renal Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics of a Single Oral Dose of Danuglipron in Participants With Type 2 Diabetes." J Clin Pharmacol, 2024;64(4):449-460. PMID: 37840155.
Sources & Citations
Trials from their PubMed abstracts, read October 5, 2026; discontinuation from Pfizer's April 14, 2025 announcement.
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.