Cagrilintide

What people use it for

• Obesity and weight loss (clinical trials)
• Type 2 diabetes (clinical trials)

What Cagrilintide does in the body

Mimics amylin, a hormone released with insulin after meals. Amylin signals fullness to the brain, slows stomach emptying and lowers glucagon. Its effects add to those of GLP-1, which is why it is being tested alongside semaglutide.

Strength of evidence

Moderate and growing: phase 2 and phase 3 trials of the semaglutide combination (REDEFINE program) showed large weight reductions.

Look up the evidence

• Reviews on PubMed: Summaries of the published research
• Clinical trials on PubMed: Published studies in people
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Registered trials, past and ongoing

Live searches of official databases. New to the terms? See the glossary.

Reported side effects & risks

• Nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Long-term safety still being established

Who should avoid it or take extra care

• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Anyone outside a clinical trial (not approved)

Not a complete list. Check with a doctor or pharmacist about your own health and medicines.

Regulatory status

Not approved. Under regulatory review in combination with semaglutide; check current status.

How it's taken

Route: Injection under the skin once a week (in trials)

How long it lasts (half-life): About 1 week

Mixing guides

How much water to add and what each syringe mark holds, worked out for your own dose:

• 5 mg vial
• 10 mg vial

Found in these stacks

• CagriSema: Novo Nordisk's experimental once-weekly combination of an amylin analogue and semaglutide for obesity.