Research compound overview

Cagrilintide: Structure, Research Overview and Specifications

Cagrilintide is a long-acting, acylated analogue of the pancreatic hormone amylin. It acts on both amylin and calcitonin receptors and is studied for its role in appetite regulation and energy balance, both on its own and in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonists. This page summarises its structure, mechanism, published research and the specifications of the material we supply.

ClassAmylin analogue (DACRA)

Length37 amino acids

Mol. weight≈ 4409 g/mol

CAS1415456-99-3

View Cagrilintide 5mg →Read the research ↓

For in vitro research use only. Not for human or animal use. Nothing on this page is medical advice.

What is cagrilintide?

Cagrilintide is a synthetic peptide developed by Novo Nordisk as a once-weekly amylin analogue. Native human amylin is unstable, prone to aggregation and cleared within minutes. Cagrilintide was engineered to be stable in solution and to circulate for days. It does this through amino-acid substitutions and an N-terminal fatty-acid (acyl) chain that binds albumin.

It is best known in research for its combination with the GLP-1 agonist semaglutide, studied under the name CagriSema. This makes it one of the most closely followed non-incretin peptides in metabolic research.

Background: amylin

Amylin is a 37-amino-acid hormone co-secreted with insulin by pancreatic beta cells after meals. It acts in the brain, particularly the area postrema and hypothalamus, to promote satiety, slow gastric emptying and suppress post-meal glucagon secretion. Because amylin and GLP-1 signal through different pathways, combining the two is an active area of research.

Chemical data

Mechanism of action

• Amylin receptors. Cagrilintide activates amylin receptors (calcitonin receptors paired with receptor activity-modifying proteins, RAMPs), which mediate the satiety signals of native amylin.
• Calcitonin receptor. It also activates the calcitonin receptor itself, which is why it is described as a dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA).
• Central satiety signalling. Amylin-receptor activation in the hindbrain and hypothalamus is studied for its effects on meal size and food intake.
• Long half-life. Acylation enables reversible albumin binding, giving a half-life suitable for once-weekly administration in clinical studies.

What the published research shows

Phase 2 dose-finding trial

A 26-week, randomised, placebo- and active-controlled phase 2 trial published in The Lancet (2021) studied once-weekly cagrilintide in adults with overweight or obesity. It reported dose-dependent reductions in body weight, with the highest dose producing greater mean weight loss than placebo and than the comparator liraglutide.

REDEFINE programme (phase 3)

In the phase 3 REDEFINE 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2025), cagrilintide alone produced a mean body-weight reduction of 11.8% at 68 weeks, compared with 2.3% with placebo. The combination of cagrilintide and semaglutide (CagriSema) produced mean reductions of more than 20% in the same programme.

Other populations

Further REDEFINE trials have evaluated cagrilintide–semaglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes and in other regions, including Japan and Taiwan.

How it differs from incretin agonists

Limitations of the evidence

• Much of the large-scale clinical data concern cagrilintide in combination with semaglutide, not on its own.
• Gastrointestinal adverse events were the most commonly reported in trials.
• Long-term outcome data are still being collected.
• Clinical findings were obtained with pharmaceutical-grade material under medical supervision and do not apply to research-grade reagents.

Regulatory status

Cagrilintide is an investigational compound. It is not a licensed medicine in the UK and has not been approved by the MHRA, FDA or EMA as a standalone product. Sterling Research supplies cagrilintide only as a research reagent for in vitro laboratory use. It must not be used in humans or animals.

Storage and handling in the lab

• Store lyophilised powder at −20 °C, sealed and protected from light and moisture.
• Let the vial reach room temperature before opening to limit condensation.
• Prepare solutions to your laboratory’s validated protocols, with appropriate PPE and aseptic technique.
• Amylin analogues can aggregate. Follow your protocol for buffer pH and low-binding labware.

Quality

Every batch of cagrilintide we supply is independently tested by Janoshik for purity and identity before it is released for sale.

Related research compounds

Frequently asked questions

What is cagrilintide?

Cagrilintide is a long-acting synthetic analogue of the hormone amylin, developed by Novo Nordisk. It activates amylin and calcitonin receptors.

What is CagriSema?

CagriSema is the research name for the combination of cagrilintide and the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide, studied in the phase 3 REDEFINE programme.

How is cagrilintide different from GLP-1 agonists?

GLP-1 agonists act on incretin receptors. Cagrilintide acts on amylin and calcitonin receptors, a separate hormonal pathway also involved in satiety and glucose regulation.

What does DACRA mean?

DACRA stands for dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist, which describes cagrilintide’s activity at both receptor types.

Is cagrilintide approved in the UK?

No. Cagrilintide is investigational and is not a licensed medicine in the UK. It is supplied by Sterling only for in vitro laboratory research.

References

1. Once-weekly cagrilintide for weight management in people with overweight and obesity: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled and active-controlled, dose-finding phase 2 trial. Lancet. 2021. thelancet.com
2. Long-acting amylin analogue for weight reduction (commentary). PubMed 34798059
3. Cagrilintide–Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2025. PubMed 40544432
4. REDEFINE 1 study record. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05567796

This page is for scientific information only. Sterling Research Group Ltd supplies cagrilintide strictly for in vitro laboratory research. Not for human or animal use, and not for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.