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Cagrilintide vs Retatrutide: What the Research Shows

Cagrilintide and Retatrutide side by side: what they are, how they are regulated and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureUpdated
Amylin analogInvestigational (CagriSema component)CagrilintideInvestigational amylin analogue, not FDA-approved; a meta-analysis found cagrilintide monotherapy reduced body weight by a mean difference of -6.08%.[14]GLP-1 & metabolic+96% searchesGLP-1 / GIP / glucagon triple agonistInvestigational · phase 3RetatrutideInvestigational triple GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist, not FDA-approved; a phase 3 TRIUMPH trial reported mean weight change of -25.0% at the 12-mg dose versus -3.9% with placebo.[1]GLP-1 & metabolic+172% searches
Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider Cagrilintide if…

  • you are weighing an investigational option (no FDA-approved product): in its phase 2 trial, mean weight reductions were greater with all cagrilintide doses than with placebo[9]

Consider Retatrutide if…

  • you are weighing an investigational option (no FDA-approved product yet): the TRIUMPH trial reported mean weight change of -25.0% with the 12-mg dose versus -3.9% with placebo[1]
  • you want to know where approval stands: Lilly states it plans to submit a Biologics License Application to the FDA, a submission plan and not an approval[15]

What they have in common

  • Cagrilintide is prohibited by WADA at all times, in and out of competition (as a drug with no approval anywhere)[5]
  • Retatrutide is prohibited by WADA at all times, in and out of competition (as a drug with no approval anywhere)[5]
Neither is FDA approved for any use in people. Both are prohibited in tested sport (WADA). Status labels come from public FDA and WADA records; see the sources below.
Side by side

Spec comparison

Showing 8 of 13 fields where the two differ. Category, PCAC vote, Jul 2026, WADA, Evidence strength, Named in FDA warning letters, 2026 are the same or both unknown.

FieldCagrilintideRetatrutide
ClassAmylin analogGLP-1 / GIP / glucagon triple agonist
Also calledcagri, cagreta, GLP-3, LY3437943
FDA statusInvestigational (CagriSema component)Investigational · phase 3
Half-life159-195 h (with semaglutide 2.4 mg co-administered)subcutaneous · Lancet 2021, PMID 33894838approximately 6 dayssubcutaneous · Lancet 2022, PMID 36354040
Human studies we summarised4 human (4 randomized or controlled) of 7 summarised11 human (11 randomized or controlled) of 16 summarised
Typical study doses
Vial sizes sold2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg5 mg, 10 mg, 12 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 24 mg, 30 mg, 36 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg
US searches per month33,100 · +96% searches823,000 · +172% searches

Bracketed values are pending a sourced figure. Legal data reflects the regulatory events in our tracker.

Taken together?

Cagrilintide and Retatrutide together

People also search for this pair as a stack. The stack page covers timing and interaction questions as they are sourced. Evidence for the combination: No studies tested these together (PubMed search: 22 results, 2 Oct 2026).

Open the stack page
StackCagrilintide + Retatrutide, taken as separate injectionsStack page

Sources

  1. 1Retatrutide phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 results publishedNEJM (PubMed 42814954) · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2FDA warning letters to five research-peptide sellersFDA warning letter (NuScience Peptides; 1 of 5) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3Eli Lilly sues six retatrutide sellersEli Lilly (press release) · 2026investor.lilly.comAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4Seven FDA warning letters to online sellers of GLP-1 productsFDA warning letter (Gram Peptides; 1 of 7) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of concomitant administration of multiple doses of cagrilintide with semaglutide 2·4 mg for weight management: a randomised, controlled, phase 1b trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2021PMID 33894838Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7Renal or Hepatic Impairment Does Not Affect Pharmacokinetics, Safety, or Tolerability of Subcutaneous Cagrilintide.Clinical pharmacokinetics · 2026PMID 42228334Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8Cagrilintide is not associated with clinically relevant QTc prolongation: A thorough QT study in healthy participants.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2024PMID 39279639Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9Once-weekly cagrilintide for weight management in people with overweight and obesity: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled and active-controlled, dose-finding phase 2 trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2021PMID 34798060Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10LY3437943, a novel triple GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptor agonist in people with type 2 diabetes: a phase 1b, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, multiple-ascending dose trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2022PMID 36354040Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11Retatrutide-Associated Improvements in Cardiovascular Risk Biomarkers in Adults With Obesity With or Without Type 2 Diabetes.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2026PMID 42608321Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12Effects of retatrutide on body composition in people with type 2 diabetes: a substudy of a phase 2, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, randomised trial.The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology · 2025PMID 40609566Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13PubMed search: (cagrilintide[tiab]) AND (retatrutide[tiab] OR LY3437943[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14Amylin-based obesity therapy: a meta-analysis of Cagrilintide and CagriSema versus placebo.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2026PMID 42583410Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  15. 15Official web pageOfficial web page · web page

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