Description
Cagrilintide is a long-acting amylin analog developed by Novo Nordisk, designed for once-weekly subcutaneous injection.
It mimics the pancreatic hormone amylin (co-secreted with insulin). By activating amylin and calcitonin receptors, it slows gastric emptying, suppresses glucagon secretion, and promotes satiety in the brain (particularly the area postrema), thereby reducing food intake and supporting weight loss.
In Phase 2 trials as monotherapy, it produced roughly 10–11% average weight loss. It is primarily being developed in combination with semaglutide (as CagriSema), where the dual mechanism (amylin + GLP-1) has shown greater weight-loss efficacy (around 20%+ in Phase 3 data) than either agent alone. As of mid-2026, it remains investigational and is not yet FDA-approved.
