Cagrilintide
Weigth Loss, Metabolic Health
In short
- A long-acting amylin analogue — a different mechanism from GLP-1 agonists, targeting satiety rather than incretin signalling.
- Investigational. Not approved anywhere as monotherapy.
- Its main development route is in combination with semaglutide as CagriSema, which reported greater weight reduction than either component alone.
- Amylin is co-secreted with insulin by pancreatic beta cells; this is a physiological pathway, not a novel target.
- Pramlintide, an earlier amylin analogue, is FDA-approved — so the class has regulatory precedent.
Structure
How it works
Cagrilintide is a long-acting analogue of amylin, a 37-amino-acid hormone co-secreted with insulin. Amylin slows gastric emptying, suppresses post-meal glucagon, and promotes satiety through receptors in the area postrema.
Because it acts on satiety pathways distinct from GLP-1, combining the two is mechanistically additive rather than redundant — which is the rationale for CagriSema and the reason this compound is developed as a partner rather than a standalone.
What the research shows
Phase 2 monotherapy showed dose-dependent weight reduction of roughly 6–10% over 26 weeks.
CagriSema (cagrilintide plus semaglutide) reported substantially greater weight reduction than either alone in phase 2, and the REDEFINE phase 3 programme has reported results in the low-to-mid twenties percent range.
No approval has been granted as of this review.
Dosing in the literature
Figures below are quoted from published studies, with the species or population they were measured in. They are records of what was studied, not recommendations.
| Studied in | Amount | Route | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human — phase 2 monotherapy, obesity | Escalated to 0.3–4.5 mg weekly | subcutaneous | PubMed |
| Human — CagriSema combination trials | 2.4 mg cagrilintide with 2.4 mg semaglutide weekly | subcutaneous | PubMed |
Commonly reported ranges
These are amounts people report using. They are not from any study, have not been evaluated for safety, and are reproduced here only because they circulate widely and are better seen alongside the evidence than instead of it.
| Reported by | Amount | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Commonly reported, mirroring trial titration | 0.5–2.4 mg weekly | subcutaneous |
No published human pharmacokinetic study establishes a dose, interval, or duration for this compound. Community figures below have no trial behind them and are reports of practice, not evidence. Trial doses exist but no approved product does, so grey-market material is of unverified identity and concentration.
Handling and storage
Supplied as a lyophilised powder requiring reconstitution with bacteriostatic water. The powder is comparatively stable; once reconstituted it is refrigerated and used within weeks. Track the date you reconstitute each vial — the Inventory section does this, and it is the difference between knowing a vial is three weeks old and guessing.
Weekly subcutaneous injection with slow escalation, following the trial pattern. Gastrointestinal tolerance is the limiting factor.
Side effects
Nausea and vomiting are the dominant effects, as with the incretin class, and are dose-related.
Injection-site reactions were more frequently reported than with GLP-1 agonists in some trials.
Amylin analogues carry a hypoglycaemia consideration when combined with insulin — pramlintide, the approved member of the class, carries a boxed warning for severe hypoglycaemia with insulin. That precedent is the most relevant safety signal for this compound.
Combinations
The intended combination is with semaglutide, which is the entire development thesis and is supported by trial data.
With insulin, the amylin class carries a documented severe hypoglycaemia risk — this is the one combination in this batch with a boxed warning behind it, via pramlintide.
Research status
Phase 2 monotherapy and the CagriSema phase 2 and REDEFINE phase 3 programme, conducted by Novo Nordisk. Legitimate development, incomplete as of this review.
Legal status
Not approved in any jurisdiction. Investigational. Grey-market supply is outside any regulated chain.
WADA status
Not specifically named on the Prohibited List. Falls under WADA class S0, which prohibits any pharmacological substance not currently approved by any governmental regulatory health authority for human therapeutic use. Treat it as prohibited in sport.
Conclusion
Cagrilintide is a real drug in real development, targeting a genuinely different satiety pathway from GLP-1 — which is why the combination data is interesting rather than merely additive marketing.
As a standalone grey-market purchase it is the weaker half of a combination that has not yet been approved.
Sources
Track your own Cagrilintide protocol
Peppers logs your doses, models your levels from this half-life, tracks your vials and tells you when you will run out. Free on iPhone.
Reference and educational information only. Not medical advice. Nothing here diagnoses, treats, or prescribes, and nothing here is a recommendation to use any compound. The compounds described are research chemicals and are not approved for human consumption. Legal and anti-doping status change — the review date above is when these claims were last checked. Talk to a qualified clinician about anything you intend to take.