Cagrilintide vs Eloralintide
Comprehensive side-by-side comparison of mechanisms, dosing, side effects, and research
Also: AM833, NN9838
Cagrilintide (also called AM833) is a long-acting synthetic analog of amylin, the gut-brain satiety hormone co-secreted with insulin by pancreatic beta cells. It is an investigational once-weekly injectable being developed by Novo Nordisk for obesity, most prominently as the amylin half of CagriSema (cagrilintide plus semaglutide). It is not yet approved as a standalone drug, but it has cleared phase 2 trials and is in late-stage development.
Also: GSBR-1290, Structure GSBR-1290
Eloralintide (Eli Lilly code LY3841136) is an investigational, long-acting, selective amylin receptor agonist given as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection for obesity. Amylin is the satiety hormone your pancreas releases alongside insulin, and eloralintide is built to mimic it without the gut side effects that sink most appetite drugs. It is not approved anywhere yet, but it has cleared Phase 1 and a 263-person Phase 2 trial with weight loss up to roughly 20 percent, and Lilly has said it is moving into Phase 3.
Key Comparison Insights
- Both peptides belong to the Weight Loss category, suggesting similar primary applications.
Detailed Comparison
| Attribute | Cagrilintide | Eloralintide |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Weight Loss | Weight Loss |
| FDA Status | Not FDA Approved | Not FDA Approved |
| Clinical Status | Pre I II III IV FDA | Pre I II III IV FDA |
| Mechanism of Action | Cagrilintide is a non-selective agonist of the amylin and calcitonin receptor family. It activates amylin receptors (which are calcitonin receptors paired with RAMP accessory proteins) to signal satiety in the brain, slow gastric emptying, and blunt the post-meal glucagon rise. Mechanistic work in mice shows it reduces body weight mainly through amylin receptors AMY1R and AMY3R acting in the hindbrain, with the area postrema as a key entry point and downstream signaling through the nucleus of the solitary tract and parabrachial nucleus. Notably, weight loss in those studies persisted even after the acute appetite-suppressing effect faded, hinting at effects on energy balance beyond simple food-intake reduction. Chemically it is built on a pramlintide-like 37-amino-acid backbone with substitutions and a fatty-diacid chain attached to extend its half-life to roughly a week, enabling once-weekly dosing. | Amylin (also called IAPP) is a hormone co-secreted with insulin after you eat, and it tells your brain you are full and slows how fast your stomach empties. Eloralintide is engineered to selectively switch on the amylin receptor, which is the calcitonin receptor paired with a receptor-activity-modifying protein (RAMP), in appetite-control regions of the brainstem and hypothalamus. The result is reduced food intake and earlier satiety. The reason this class is interesting is that, unlike GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, amylin agonists seem to drive weight loss with much less nausea and vomiting, which is what the eloralintide trials reported. Whether it preserves more lean mass than GLP-1 drugs is a real hypothesis being tested, not a settled fact. |
| Common Dosing | 2.4 mg weekly Once weekly | 120-240mg once daily (oral) Once daily |
| Administration | Subcutaneous injection once weekly | Oral tablet |
| Typical Duration | Long-term / chronic use expected | 36 weeks in Phase 2 trials |
| Best Time to Take | Any consistent time weekly | - |
Possible Side Effects May vary by individual |
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| Research Summary | Cagrilintide has real human data, which sets it apart from most peptides in this category. In a 2021 Lancet phase 2 dose-finding trial (Lau et al.), once-weekly cagrilintide at 4.5 mg produced about 10.8% mean body weight loss over 26 weeks, beating both placebo (around 3%) and liraglutide 3.0 mg (around 9%), establishing that amylin agonism alone can drive clinically meaningful weight loss. Its bigger story is combination therapy: paired with semaglutide as CagriSema, it advanced into phase 3 REDEFINE trials for obesity and type 2 diabetes, with reported weight loss in the low 20% range, though final results came in somewhat below the most optimistic expectations. Side effects are dominated by the expected gastrointestinal effects (nausea, vomiting) common to gut-hormone drugs. As of 2026 cagrilintide is investigational and not FDA-approved on its own. The evidence is genuinely human and well-controlled here, which is rare, but it is still a drug under regulatory review rather than an approved therapy. | This is one of the few research peptides on this site with genuinely strong, recent human data. The Phase 1 proof-of-concept study (Eli Lilly, published 2026) randomized 100 adults with obesity across five ascending dose cohorts and reported dose-proportional pharmacokinetics and least-squares mean weight reductions of 2.6 to 11.3 percent by week 12, with notably low gastrointestinal side effects (nausea 8 percent, vomiting 4 percent). In November 2025 Lilly announced topline Phase 2 results in 263 adults with obesity or overweight: at 48 weeks all dose arms beat placebo, with mean weight loss from about 9.5 percent at the lowest dose up to 20.1 percent at 9 mg, versus 0.4 percent on placebo, plus improvements in waist circumference, blood pressure, lipids, and glycemic markers. The most common adverse events were mild-to-moderate nausea and fatigue. The honest caveat: full peer-reviewed Phase 2 data and any head-to-head against tirzepatide are still pending, and there are no long-term safety or cardiovascular outcome results yet because Phase 3 is only just beginning. So the early efficacy signal is impressive, but durability and long-term safety are unproven. |
Frequently Asked Questions: Cagrilintide vs Eloralintide
What is the difference between Cagrilintide and Eloralintide?
Cagrilintide is a weight loss peptide that cagrilintide (also called am833) is a long-acting synthetic analog of amylin, the gut-brain satiety hormone co-secreted with insulin by pancreatic beta cells. it is an investigational once-weekly injectable being developed by novo nordisk for obesity, most prominently as the amylin half of cagrisema (cagrilintide plus semaglutide). it is not yet approved as a standalone drug, but it has cleared phase 2 trials and is in late-stage development. Eloralintide is a weight loss peptide that eloralintide (eli lilly code ly3841136) is an investigational, long-acting, selective amylin receptor agonist given as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection for obesity. amylin is the satiety hormone your pancreas releases alongside insulin, and eloralintide is built to mimic it without the gut side effects that sink most appetite drugs. it is not approved anywhere yet, but it has cleared phase 1 and a 263-person phase 2 trial with weight loss up to roughly 20 percent, and lilly has said it is moving into phase 3. The main differences lie in their mechanisms of action and clinical applications.
Which is better, Cagrilintide or Eloralintide?
Neither is universally "better" - the choice depends on your specific goals. Cagrilintide is typically used for weight loss purposes, while Eloralintide is used for weight loss. Always consult with a healthcare provider to determine which may be appropriate for your situation.
Can Cagrilintide and Eloralintide be used together?
Some peptide protocols combine multiple compounds for synergistic effects. However, using Cagrilintide and Eloralintide together should only be considered under medical supervision, as both compounds have their own side effect profiles and potential interactions. Research on their combined use may be limited.