Cagrilintide
Cagri
Long-acting calcitonin/amylin analog used with semaglutide (CagriSema) for obesity; weekly injection.
Key takeaways
- Long-acting amylin analog combined with semaglutide as CagriSema for obesity.
- Half-life ~6.5 days supports once-weekly subcutaneous dosing.
- Phase 2 trials show dose-dependent weight loss; Phase 3 underway, not yet approved.
- Side effects are mainly gastrointestinal, similar to GLP-1 drugs.
Overview
What it is
Cagrilintide is a long-acting synthetic analog of amylin, the satiety hormone co-secreted with insulin by pancreatic beta cells. Amylin slows gastric emptying, suppresses glucagon, and reduces appetite. Novo Nordisk is developing it for obesity, most notably as CagriSema, a fixed weekly combination with semaglutide that stacks the amylin and GLP-1 mechanisms.
Pharmacokinetics
The half-life runs roughly 6.5 days with bioavailability near 80%, which supports once-weekly subcutaneous dosing and a slow titration schedule in trials. Reported trial doses range from 0.16 mg up to 2.4 mg weekly.
What the evidence says
Human evidence is real and growing: a randomized Phase 2 trial produced dose-dependent weight loss, and Phase 3 CagriSema trials are underway. It is not yet an approved medication. Side effects are mostly gastrointestinal, in line with the GLP-1 class.
Reported dosing protocols
Protocols reported in research literature and clinic/community use — informational context, not a dosing recommendation.
| Use case | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight management (trial) | 0.16–2.4 mg, titrated | SubQ | Once weekly | Chronic |
| Research / grey market | 0.25–1 mg | SubQ | Once weekly |
Pharmacokinetic summary
- Model tier
- Simple (t½ + F, Tmax estimated)
- Half-life
- 6.5 days
- Bioavailability
- 80%
- Typical dose
- 0.16–2.4 mg
Frequently asked questions
Is cagrilintide approved?
No. It remains investigational, with Phase 3 CagriSema trials underway. Everything sold today is research-grade material, so purity and dosing accuracy depend entirely on the vendor's testing.
How does cagrilintide differ from semaglutide?
Semaglutide mimics GLP-1; cagrilintide mimics amylin, a separate satiety hormone. Both slow gastric emptying and reduce appetite, but through different receptors, which is why Novo combines them as CagriSema for additive weight loss.
Why is cagrilintide dosed weekly?
Its engineered half-life is roughly 6.5 days, so one subcutaneous injection sustains exposure for a week. Trials still titrate slowly from low doses because nausea and GI effects are dose-dependent.
References
- Lancet Phase 1b trial (2021) — Half-life 159-195h (~7 days); median Tmax 24-72h. Once-weekly SC dosing.
- Lancet 2021 — cagrilintide + semaglutide phase 1b — Randomized phase 1b: PK, tolerability, and weight loss with the combination.
- Lancet 2021 — once-weekly cagrilintide phase 2 — Dose-finding phase 2 trial in obesity; dose-dependent weight loss over 26 weeks.
Related compounds
Pramlintide (Symlin)
Synthetic amylin analog used at mealtimes to slow gastric emptying and aid glycemic/weight control.
Semaglutide Injection (Ozempic/Wegovy)
Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes and weight loss; weekly injection.
Semaglutide Oral (Rybelsus)
Oral semaglutide with very low bioavailability; taken fasting.
Protocols featuring Cagrilintide
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