From the Research
Cagrilintide, a long-acting amylin analog, has shown promising results in clinical trials for weight management and type 2 diabetes treatment, with significant weight loss and improvements in glycemic control when used alone or in combination with semaglutide 1. The medication works by promoting satiety, slowing gastric emptying, and affecting the brain's appetite control centers. Key benefits of cagrilintide include:
- Significant weight loss, with a mean change in bodyweight from baseline to week 32 of -15.6% in combination with semaglutide 1
- Improvements in glycemic control, with a mean change in HbA1c from baseline to week 32 of -2.2 percentage points in combination with semaglutide 1
- Well-tolerated, with common side effects including nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal disturbances, similar to other medications in this class 1, 2 Cagrilintide is administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection and is currently being studied in clinical trials for obesity treatment, often in combination with semaglutide (Wegovy) 1, 2. As it is still in development, specific dosing recommendations are not yet established for clinical practice, and the medication is not currently FDA-approved or commercially available. Patients interested in emerging weight management therapies should consult with healthcare providers about currently approved options while monitoring developments in this field. It is essential to consider the most recent and highest-quality study, which is the 2023 trial published in the Lancet, when evaluating the efficacy and safety of cagrilintide 1.