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Comparison

Cagrilintide vs Tirzepatide

Both are GLP-1 & incretins, so the meaningful differences are in kinetics, evidence and regulatory status.

On published evidence alone, Tirzepatide is the better documented of the two (regulator approved). That is a statement about the state of the literature, not a recommendation.

Cagrilintide Tirzepatide
Class GLP-1 & incretins GLP-1 & incretins
Evidence Clinical trials Regulator approved
Human trials ~10 ~60
Half-life ~7-8 days ~5 days
Reported range 300 mcg - 2.4 mg 2.5-15 mg
Frequency Once weekly (trial protocols) Once weekly, titrated over 20+ weeks
Routes Subcutaneous Subcutaneous
FDA approved No Yes
Research use only Yes No
Banned in sport No No
Studied for Investigational obesity treatment (usually combined with semaglutide) Type 2 diabetes, Chronic weight management, Obstructive sleep apnoea with obesity
Reported side effects Nausea, Vomiting, Decreased appetite, Injection-site reactions Nausea, Diarrhoea, Vomiting, Constipation, Dyspepsia, Injection-site reactions

Cagrilintide

Cagrilintide is an acylated analog of amylin, the pancreatic hormone co-secreted with insulin that promotes satiety and slows gastric emptying. It acts at both amylin and calcitonin receptors. Because amylin signalling reduces food intake through a pathway distinct from GLP-1, combining the two produces additive effects, which is the basis of the CagriSema programme pairing it with semaglutide. Standalone development has been limited.

Tirzepatide

Tirzepatide is a 39-amino-acid synthetic peptide that agonises both the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor and the GLP-1 receptor, a combination sometimes called a twincretin. GIP receptor activity appears to add to the metabolic effect through adipose tissue and central pathways, and may attenuate some GLP-1-related nausea. A C20 fatty diacid moiety confers albumin binding and weekly dosing. The SURMOUNT programme reported mean weight reductions above 20% at the highest dose, and SURMOUNT-5 showed superiority over semaglutide directly.

Cagrilintide vs Tirzepatide: common questions

What is the difference between Cagrilintide and Tirzepatide?

Both are GLP-1 & incretins. Cagrilintide: A long-acting amylin analog developed primarily as a combination partner for semaglutide rather than as a standalone agent. Tirzepatide: A dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist that produced greater weight loss than semaglutide in head-to-head trial data.

Which has stronger evidence, Cagrilintide or Tirzepatide?

Tirzepatide has the stronger evidence base (regulator approved, about 60 human studies) compared with Cagrilintide (clinical trials).

Are Cagrilintide and Tirzepatide FDA approved?

Only Tirzepatide is FDA approved (Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Mounjaro); Chronic weight management (Zepbound); Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea in adults with obesity). Cagrilintide is not approved for any indication.

References

Regulatory and primary sources

  1. PubChem compound record (CID 171397054) ↗ · structure, identifiers, synonyms
  2. FDA: Unapproved drugs and "research use only" products ↗ · regulatory status of non-approved products
  3. PubChem compound record (CID 156588324) ↗ · structure, identifiers, synonyms
  4. DailyMed: FDA-approved labeling for Tirzepatide ↗ · indications, dosing, warnings as approved
  5. FDA Drugs@FDA database ↗ · approval history
  6. CAS Registry Number 2023788-19-2 ↗ · chemical identity

Published literature

  1. Yao H, Zhang A, Li D, et al.. Comparative effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonists on glycaemic control, body weight, and lipid profile for type 2 diabetes: systematic review and network meta-analysis.BMJ 2024.PubMed 38286487 · doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-076410
  2. Garvey WT, Blüher M, Osorto Contreras CK, et al.. Coadministered Cagrilintide and Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity.N Engl J Med 2025.PubMed 40544433 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2502081
  3. Davies MJ, Bajaj HS, Broholm C, et al.. Cagrilintide-Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes.N Engl J Med 2025.PubMed 40544432 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2502082
  4. Eržen S, Tonin G, Jurišić Eržen D, et al.. Amylin, Another Important Neuroendocrine Hormone for the Treatment of Diabesity.Int J Mol Sci 2024.PubMed 38338796 · doi:10.3390/ijms25031517
  5. Rubio-Herrera MA, Mera-Carreiro S. Weight management treatment in obesity.Med Clin (Barc) 2025.PubMed 40865172 · doi:10.1016/j.medcli.2025.107152
  6. Lau DCW, Erichsen L, Francisco AM, et al.. 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.PubMed 34798060 · doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01751-7
  7. Frias JP, Deenadayalan S, Erichsen L, et al.. Efficacy and safety of co-administered once-weekly cagrilintide 2·4 mg with once-weekly semaglutide 2·4 mg in type 2 diabetes: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, active-controlled, phase 2 trial.Lancet 2023.PubMed 37364590 · doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01163-7
  8. Son JW, le Roux CW, Blüher M, et al.. Novel GLP-1-based Medications for Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity.Endocr Rev 2026.PubMed 41054801 · doi:10.1210/endrev/bnaf036
  9. Jastreboff AM, le Roux CW, Stefanski A, et al.. Tirzepatide for Obesity Treatment and Diabetes Prevention.N Engl J Med 2025.PubMed 39536238 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2410819
  10. Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al.. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity.N Engl J Med 2022.PubMed 35658024 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
  11. Aronne LJ, Sattar N, Horn DB, et al.. Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity: The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA 2024.PubMed 38078870 · doi:10.1001/jama.2023.24945
  12. Malhotra A, Grunstein RR, Fietze I, et al.. Tirzepatide for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity.N Engl J Med 2024.PubMed 38912654 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2404881
  13. Packer M, Zile MR, Kramer CM, et al.. Tirzepatide for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity.N Engl J Med 2025.PubMed 39555826 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2410027
  14. Aronne LJ, Horn DB, le Roux CW, et al.. Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity.N Engl J Med 2025.PubMed 40353578 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2416394
  15. Look M, Dunn JP, Kushner RF, et al.. Body composition changes during weight reduction with tirzepatide in the SURMOUNT-1 study of adults with obesity or overweight.Diabetes Obes Metab 2025.PubMed 39996356 · doi:10.1111/dom.16275
  16. Frías JP, Davies MJ, Rosenstock J, et al.. Tirzepatide versus Semaglutide Once Weekly in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.N Engl J Med 2021.PubMed 34170647 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2107519

Literature retrieved from PubMed on October 16, 2026, favouring human studies and reviews. Numbered markers in the text show which paper supports which statement; uncited entries are background reading.

Read this first This page compares published reference data. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation to use either compound. Several compounds documented on this site are not approved for human use.