07/08/2025
You guys have asked about Cagrilintide, well here’s a little educational read about it!
Cagrilintide is a long-acting amylin analogue being developed primarily for weight management.
Key features of Cagrilintide:
Mechanism of action: It mimics the action of amylin, a hormone that regulates appetite and blood sugar levels. Cagrilintide affects appetite through direct effects on the brain. It also acts as a DACRA, meaning it activates both amylin receptors and calcitonin receptors, which can improve satiety, reduce food intake, and delay gastric emptying.
Administration: It's typically administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection.
Clinical trials:
In a Phase 2 trial for people with overweight or obesity and related conditions (excluding type 2 diabetes), cagrilintide 2.4 mg (along with diet and exercise) resulted in a 10% weight reduction after 26 weeks, compared to 3% with placebo.
Cagrilintide is also being studied in combination with semaglutide (a GLP-1 receptor agonist), as a combined therapy called CagriSema.
CagriSema:
Combining cagrilintide and semaglutide targets appetite and blood sugar control through different pathways. This combination has shown promise for both weight loss and improved glycemic control.
In a Phase 1b trial, cagrilintide 2.4 mg and semaglutide 2.4 mg resulted in a 17% weight reduction after 20 weeks.
The Phase 3a REDEFINE 1 trial showed that CagriSema led to significant weight loss (20.4%) compared to cagrilintide alone (11.5%), semaglutide alone (14.9%), or placebo (3.0%) after 68 weeks.
The combination appears generally well-tolerated, with the most common side effects being mild to moderate gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. These tend to decrease over time.
Potential benefits: Cagrilintide (alone or in combination with semaglutide) is being investigated for:
Weight loss
Improved blood sugar control (for people with type 2 diabetes)
Reduced waist circumference
Potential improvements in kidney function (for people with chronic kidney disease)
Improved quality of life related to weight loss
In summary, cagrilintide is a long-acting amylin analogue being developed for weight management and the potential treatment of type 2 diabetes. Its combination with semaglutide (CagriSema) has shown superior efficacy for weight loss in clinical trials compared to either drug alone.