Mazdutide
Weight Loss, Metabolic Health
In short
- A dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist, based on oxyntomodulin, developed by Innovent and Eli Lilly.
- Approved in China in 2025 for weight management and type 2 diabetes — this is a genuine approval, but only in one jurisdiction.
- Not approved in the US, EU, or UK.
- Phase 3 results in Chinese populations reported roughly 12-15% weight reduction depending on dose.
- Mechanistically similar to survodutide: GLP-1 plus glucagon, without the GIP component of tirzepatide.
Structure
How it works
Mazdutide is an analogue of oxyntomodulin, an endogenous gut hormone that naturally activates both the GLP-1 and glucagon receptors. Rather than engineering dual agonism into a GLP-1 backbone, it starts from a peptide that already does both.
GLP-1 agonism supplies appetite suppression, glucose-dependent insulin secretion, and delayed gastric emptying. Glucagon receptor agonism increases energy expenditure and promotes hepatic fat oxidation.
The glucagon arm is why this class shows liver-fat effects that pure GLP-1 agonists do not match.
What the research shows
GLORY-1 phase 3 in Chinese adults with overweight or obesity reported mean weight reductions of roughly 10-14% at 48 weeks depending on dose.
DREAMS trials in type 2 diabetes reported HbA1c reductions supporting the diabetes indication.
Reductions in hepatic fat and improvements in blood pressure and lipids were also reported.
The trials were conducted predominantly in Chinese populations, which is relevant when extrapolating — baseline BMI distributions differ substantially from Western obesity trial populations.
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 — approved use in China, weight management | 4 mg or 6 mg weekly after titration | subcutaneous | PubMed |
| Human — GLORY-1 phase 3 | Titrated to 4 mg or 6 mg weekly over 48 weeks | 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 | 2–6 mg weekly, escalated slowly | subcutaneous |
An approved product exists, but only in China — material obtained elsewhere is not that product. Trial titration schedules exist and community protocols track them, but grey-market identity and concentration remain unverified.
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 titration. Gastrointestinal tolerance is the practical constraint on escalation speed, as with the rest of this class.
Side effects
Nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, and decreased appetite dominate, dose-related and worst after escalation — the standard incretin profile.
The glucagon component adds dose-dependent heart rate increases, consistent with other glucagon-containing agents.
Transient increases in liver enzymes have been reported in some trials.
Weight regain after discontinuation follows the class pattern.
Combinations
Combining with other incretin agonists duplicates GLP-1 agonism and compounds gastrointestinal effects without evidence of benefit.
With insulin or sulfonylureas, hypoglycaemia risk rises and those agents typically require dose reduction.
Research status
A genuine phase 3 programme (GLORY and DREAMS) conducted by Innovent, leading to Chinese regulatory approval in 2025.
This is real pharmaceutical development with published outcomes, distinguishing it from the purely investigational compounds in this library — though the geographic concentration of its evidence base is a genuine limitation.
Legal status
Approved in China for weight management and type 2 diabetes. NOT approved in the US, EU, UK, Canada, or Australia. Material obtained outside China is outside any approved supply 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
Mazdutide is a properly developed and now approved dual agonist — in one country, on trials conducted largely in one population.
That places it well ahead of retatrutide and survodutide on regulatory status, and behind semaglutide and tirzepatide on breadth of evidence and availability of a legitimate product.
Sources
Track your own Mazdutide 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.