What Is Cagrilintide? The 2026 Amylin Peptide Guide
The amylin analog behind CagriSema, what the trials show, and why it is not yet a real compounded option.
Cagrilintide is a long-acting amylin analog studied for weight loss. It is a once-weekly injectable peptide that works on appetite and fullness, and it is the amylin half of Novo Nordisk's CagriSema. As of 2026, cagrilintide is investigational. It is not FDA-approved and not a legitimate compounded product. This guide covers how it works, what the trials show, and the compounded GLP-1 options pru offers now.
What is cagrilintide?
Cagrilintide is a long-acting amylin analog being studied for weight loss. It mimics amylin, a natural hormone that signals fullness after eating. It is given once a week by injection and is best known as the amylin half of CagriSema, an experimental combination with semaglutide.
How popular is Cagrilintide?People search for Cagrilintide about 20,000 times a month in the US, a steadily searched peptide (2026 search data). See the Peptide Popularity Report for the full ranking.
As of 2026, cagrilintide is investigational. It is not available as a legitimate compounded medication. pru does not currently offer cagrilintide until there is a safe pathway for physician oversight and FDA-regulated 503A pharmacies. If you want a physician-guided GLP-1 option you can start today, pru offers compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide.
The short answerCagrilintide is a promising amylin peptide in late-stage trials. It is not a legitimate compounded product in 2026. pru covers it for education only.
How does cagrilintide work?
Cagrilintide works by copying amylin, a hormone your pancreas releases with insulin after meals. It targets amylin and calcitonin receptors in brain regions that control fullness, including the area postrema and hypothalamus. This is a different pathway from GLP-1.
- Signals fullness: it activates amylin receptors so you feel satisfied on less food.
- Slows the stomach: it helps food leave the stomach more slowly, so fullness lasts longer between meals.
- Lasts a week: a fatty-acid tail extends its half-life to roughly 159 to 195 hours, which allows once-weekly dosing.
Because amylin and GLP-1 act on separate systems, researchers pair them to hit appetite from two directions at once. That is the idea behind CagriSema.
Cagrilintide amylin vs GLP-1: what's the difference?
Cagrilintide is an amylin analog, not a GLP-1. GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide are the current standard for compounded weight-loss care. Amylin is a newer target being tested alongside them.
| Feature | Cagrilintide (amylin) | Semaglutide / tirzepatide (GLP-1) |
|---|---|---|
| Hormone copied | Amylin | GLP-1 (tirzepatide also GIP) |
| Main effect | Fullness, slower stomach | Appetite, blood sugar, slower stomach |
| Dosing | Once weekly | Once weekly |
| FDA-approved brand | None yet | Yes, branded versions exist |
| Available at pru | No, investigational | Yes, compounded |
pru's live weight-loss options are both GLP-1 based. See compounded semaglutide, compounded tirzepatide, or read semaglutide vs tirzepatide.
What is CagriSema?
CagriSema is an experimental combination of cagrilintide (amylin) and semaglutide (GLP-1) in one weekly shot. The idea is to combine two appetite pathways for larger weight loss than either alone. It is made by Novo Nordisk and is still in trials in 2026.
In the phase 3 REDEFINE 1 trial in adults with overweight or obesity, average weight change at 68 weeks was reported as follows.
| Group | Average weight change |
|---|---|
| CagriSema (cagrilintide + semaglutide) | -22.7% |
| Semaglutide 2.4 mg alone | -16.1% |
| Cagrilintide 2.4 mg alone | -11.8% |
| Placebo | -2.3% |
Read this as researchThese are clinical-trial averages from REDEFINE 1, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025. They describe study participants, not any pru product. Individual medical care is decided with a physician.
What do cagrilintide trials show?
Trials show cagrilintide produces meaningful weight loss on its own and larger loss when combined with semaglutide. REDEFINE 1 enrolled 3,417 adults and ran 68 weeks. Cagrilintide alone averaged 11.8% weight loss versus 2.3% on placebo, and about 1 in 3 people on cagrilintide lost 15% or more of their body weight.
A dedicated phase 3 program for cagrilintide as a standalone therapy, called RENEW, was set to begin at the end of 2025. Results from these programs guide whether and when regulators approve it.
What are cagrilintide's side effects?
In trials, cagrilintide's most common side effects were gastrointestinal and mostly mild to moderate. This mirrors what people report with GLP-1 medicines.
- Nausea, most often early and when the dose goes up
- Vomiting or diarrhea in some people
- Constipation or reduced appetite
- Injection-site reactions
In REDEFINE 1, about 1% of people on cagrilintide stopped due to side effects, close to the placebo rate. Because cagrilintide is investigational, its long-term safety profile is still being studied. For GLP-1 side-effect tips on products pru offers, see managing GLP-1 nausea.
Is cagrilintide available to buy in 2026?
No. As of 2026, cagrilintide is not sold as a legitimate compounded medication. It is still in clinical trials. Any website selling cagrilintide vials is a grey-market or research-grade source, not a licensed pharmacy.
A real cautionResearch-grade or grey-market cagrilintide vials are not made for people, are not overseen by a physician, and are not filled by a licensed pharmacy. Purity and dose are not verified. Avoid them. Talk to a clinician about approved options instead.
If your goal is physician-guided weight care you can start now, the compliant path is a compounded GLP-1. pru offers compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide, prescribed by a physician and filled by a licensed pharmacy. Getting ahead of your metabolic health is a smart move, and the point of pru is to make that proactive choice an accessible one.
Cagrilintide vs semaglutide: which can I actually get?
You can get compounded semaglutide today. You cannot legitimately get cagrilintide yet. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 with years of clinical data and approved branded versions; compounded semaglutide is pharmacy-grade and is filled by a licensed 503A pharmacy. Cagrilintide is an amylin analog still in trials.
- Want to start now: compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide are the compliant, physician-guided options.
- Curious about amylin: cagrilintide is worth watching, but it is not available as a legitimate product in 2026.
- Want the strongest data today: compare semaglutide vs tirzepatide and cagrilintide vs semaglutide.
For the full menu of what is actually prescribable, see pru's fat loss and metabolism options.
How pru handles cagrilintide and GLP-1 care
pru does not currently offer cagrilintide until there is a safe pathway for physician oversight and FDA-regulated 503A pharmacies. pru covers it here for education, then points you to options a physician can prescribe. If you are researching amylin peptides, you are already taking your metabolic health seriously, and pru is built to make the next step, a physician-guided GLP-1 at at-cost pricing, easy to take when you are ready.
- Live products: compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide, both GLP-1 based.
- Not offered: cagrilintide, CagriSema, retatrutide, and other trial-stage peptides.
- How care works: you select the option that fits your goals, and a physician confirms it is appropriate for you. The physician does not pick the peptide for you.
- Who fills it: a licensed 503A pharmacy compounds your prescription. These are pharmacy-grade compounded medicines, not branded drugs.
- Pricing: about $50 a month for membership, with peptides billed at cost and itemized. A higher dose costs a bit more, with no member markup. See pricing.
One note on claimspru does not promise a specific amount of weight loss. Trial figures on this page describe research participants. Your plan is set with a physician.
Related reading
Keep learning about amylin, GLP-1 peptides, and what pru offers:
- Cagrilintide vs semaglutide
- Retatrutide vs tirzepatide
- Semaglutide vs tirzepatide
- Best peptides for weight loss
- GLP-1 weight-loss plateau
- Where to buy compounded semaglutide
- Browse pru's fat loss and metabolism options
Common questions
Sources & further reading
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMoa2502082
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40544432/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12270663/
- https://www.biospace.com/drug-development/novos-amylin-injectable-cagrilintide-hits-11-8-weight-reduction-in-phase-iii-trial
- https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/poll-1-in-8-adults-say-they-are-currently-taking-a-glp-1-drug-for-weight-loss-diabetes-or-another-condition-even-as-half-say-the-drugs-are-difficult-to-afford/
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00565
- joinpru.com/shop/fat-loss-metabolism