Cagrilintide

What is Cagrilintide?

Cagrilintide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It binds to GLP-1 receptors, activating downstream G protein-coupled signaling pathways, primarily involving the adenylate cyclase (AC)-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. This process stimulates increased insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells in response to elevated blood glucose levels while simultaneously inhibiting glucagon secretion from α-cells, thereby lowering blood glucose levels. Additionally, Cagrilintide delays gastric emptying, reduces the rate of nutrient absorption, and lowers postprandial blood glucose peaks. It also acts on the central nervous system to reduce appetite and increase satiety, aiding in weight management.

Benefits of Cagrilintide

Cagrilintide is a long-acting acylated incretin analog. By activating non-selective incretin receptors (AMYR) and calcitonin G protein-coupled receptors (CTR), it significantly reduces food intake and promotes weight loss, demonstrating potential in obesity research. In clinical trials, Cagrilintide has demonstrated robust weight loss efficacy. For instance, in a Phase II trial for obese patients, weekly Cagrilintide injections resulted in an average weight reduction of 6-10.8% after 26 weeks, compared to 9.0% reduction with liraglutide (a GLP-1 receptor agonist). Furthermore, when combined with semaglutide, Cagrilintide demonstrated more pronounced improvements in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels among obese patients with type 2 diabetes, though its impact on HbA1c was less pronounced than semaglutide monotherapy. Cagrilintide’s development is based on amylin, a hormone secreted by pancreatic beta cells that slows gastric emptying and induces satiety, thereby reducing food intake. However, amylin’s poor water solubility and tendency to aggregate into amyloid plaques limit its clinical application.

Cagrilintide Dosage

Weekly doses ranging from 0.3 mg to 4.5 mg have been studied. Dosage cycles can be administered every two weeks, such as 0.3 mg, 0.6 mg, 1.2 mg, 1.8 mg, and so on, until an appropriate maintenance dose is reached.

Optimal Range: Moderate-to-high doses (approximately 2.4–4.5 mg weekly) demonstrate the most promising weight loss effects.

Cagrilintide Side Effects

Regarding safety, common adverse reactions include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. These are generally mild to moderate in severity and well-tolerated by patients.

Seek prompt medical attention if severe side effects occur.