Dapiglutide
A GLP-1 and GLP-2 dual agonist for the gut and for weight
Dapiglutide is an investigational once-weekly peptide that activates both GLP-1 and GLP-2 receptors. In mice with short bowel syndrome it promoted gut growth and barrier function; in a 12-week phase 2 trial in people with obesity, its 6 mg dose lowered weight by 2.1% more than placebo, which was not statistically significant.
What is it?
GLP-2 is the gut hormone that makes the intestine grow; its analogue teduglutide is approved for short bowel syndrome. Dapiglutide combines GLP-2 activity with GLP-1. In a mouse model of short bowel, it improved glucose tolerance, slowed intestinal transit, increased villus height and intestinal length, reduced stool water loss and helped body weight recover; a second mouse study found it improved gut barrier function.
Its first human efficacy trial was in obesity. In 54 adults treated for 12 weeks without lifestyle advice, 6 mg dapiglutide lowered body weight by 2.1% more than placebo, a difference that missed statistical significance (p = 0.076). It was well tolerated, with reduced appetite and nausea the common side effects and no drug-related discontinuations. The trial randomised participants (63% women, mean weight 101.3 kg, mean BMI 35.2) to 4 mg or 6 mg weekly or placebo, stratified by sex, and excluded people with diabetes-range HbA1c or recent weight change of 5% or more.
Whether higher doses, longer treatment or a return to intestinal failure will define its future is not settled. It is not approved anywhere.
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
Studies of dapiglutide, from their PubMed abstracts.
Short bowel in mice
Dapiglutide improved oral glucose tolerance, slowed intestinal transit and promoted intestinal growth; in short-bowel mice it increased villus height and intestinal length, reduced stool water loss and plasma aldosterone, and aided weight recovery.
Gut barrier in mice
In a murine short bowel model, the dual GLP-1/GLP-2 agonist promoted intestinal barrier function, building on its earlier effectiveness in the same model.
Phase 2 in obesity
In 54 adults with obesity, 6 mg weekly dapiglutide changed body weight by -2.1% against placebo at 12 weeks (95% CI -4.3 to 0.2; p = 0.076); it was well tolerated, with reduced appetite and nausea most common and no drug-related discontinuations.
Side Effects & Contraindications
Reported Side Effects
From the phase 2 trial.
Contraindications & Cautions
No label; it is investigational.
Legal Status
Dapiglutide is investigational.
Frequently Asked Questions
?What makes dapiglutide different from other GLP-1 drugs?
It also activates the GLP-2 receptor, which promotes intestinal growth and barrier function, so it was first developed with short bowel syndrome in mind.
?How much weight did people lose?
In a 12-week phase 2 trial, 6 mg weekly lowered weight by 2.1% more than placebo, which was not statistically significant.
?Is dapiglutide approved?
No. It is investigational, and products sold under its name are unverified.
?Why was the weight loss so small?
The trial was short (12 weeks), used modest doses and gave no lifestyle advice; the authors reported it as safe and well tolerated but the primary endpoint missed significance, and longer or higher-dose studies would be needed to judge it.
?What doses were tested?
The phase 2 obesity trial compared once-weekly subcutaneous dapiglutide at 4 mg and 6 mg with placebo over 12 weeks, testing 6 mg against placebo first. A separate phase 1 study compared two subcutaneous concentrations of the drug.
?Has dapiglutide been tested for short bowel syndrome in people?
Not in a published efficacy trial. The short bowel evidence comes from mouse studies, where it promoted intestinal growth, reduced stool water loss and improved barrier function.
?What side effects were seen?
In the phase 2 trial, reduced appetite and nausea were the most common adverse events; no participant stopped because of a drug-related adverse event, and dropout was low.
References
- [registry] ClinicalTrials.gov API v2, read October 3, 2026: NCT05788601 (phase 2, obesity, 54 participants), NCT06758583 (phase 1, two subcutaneous concentrations, 30, completed).
- [pubmed] Reiner J, et al. "Dapiglutide, a novel dual GLP-1 and GLP-2 receptor agonist, attenuates intestinal insufficiency in a murine model of short bowel." JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, 2022;46(5):1107-1118. PMID: 34705281.
- [pubmed] Reiner J, et al. "The dual GLP-1 and GLP-2 receptor agonist dapiglutide promotes barrier function in murine short bowel." Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2022;1514(1):132-141. PMID: 35580981.
- [clinical-trial] Nielsen CK, et al. "Dapiglutide, a dual GLP-1 and GLP-2 receptor agonist, for obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group, proof-of-concept trial." EClinicalMedicine, 2026;93:103801. PMID: 41768273.
Sources & Citations
Studies were read from their PubMed records; trial registrations from ClinicalTrials.gov, read October 3, 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.