Cagrilintide
Long-acting amylin analog for appetite control and weight management
Clinical Research Score: 4/5 — Backed by Phase 2 clinical trials for weight management, often alongside semaglutide, but not yet approved.
Categories: Weight Loss / Metabolic
What is Cagrilintide?
Cagrilintide approaches appetite control from a different angle than the GLP-1 medications — it mimics amylin, a hormone your pancreas releases alongside insulin after meals. While GLP-1 medications tell your brain "you're full," amylin tells your brain "you've eaten enough, and the food is still being processed."
People report a natural, comfortable sense of fullness after smaller meals. Cravings quiet down. The urge to snack between meals diminishes. What stands out in user reports is the gentleness of the appetite suppression — it feels natural rather than forced, with less of the nausea that some GLP-1 medications can cause.
Cagrilintide is increasingly used in combination with semaglutide (the combination is called CagriSema), where the two compounds provide complementary appetite suppression through different pathways. The weekly dosing schedule is convenient, and the weight loss results are steady and sustained. For those looking for gentler appetite control or seeking to enhance their GLP-1 protocol, cagrilintide fills an important role.
How Cagrilintide works
Cagrilintide activates amylin receptors (AMY1, AMY2, AMY3) in two key brain regions: the area postrema and the hypothalamus. These regions control satiety, nausea, and food intake. By activating these receptors, cagrilintide slows gastric emptying (so food stays in your stomach longer, extending fullness), suppresses the post-meal glucagon surge, and sends sustained satiety signals to the brain. Its long half-life (~7 days) provides continuous appetite control from a single weekly injection.
Scientific overview
Cagrilintide is a long-acting acylated amylin receptor agonist developed by Novo Nordisk. It mimics the effects of the naturally occurring hormone amylin, which is co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic beta cells. Cagrilintide reduces appetite by acting on the area postrema in the brainstem, slows gastric emptying, and suppresses glucagon secretion. Its long half-life allows for once-weekly subcutaneous dosing.
Dosing
- Starting dose: 0.25 mg per week
- Common dosage range: 0.25-4.5 mg per week (titrated)
- Administration: Subcutaneous
- Half-life: ~7 days
- Frequency: Once weekly