Amylin analogs are lab-made versions of amylin, a fullness hormone your pancreas releases alongside insulin. Only pramlintide is FDA-approved today, while five more remain in trials. Here's what each does and what TelosRX patients can access now.
Amylin analogs are the most talked-about drug class in weight research after GLP-1s. Every few months a new trial headline lands. Keeping the names straight is half the battle.
This list covers the six amylin analogs you are most likely to read about. For each one you'll get what it is, where it stands, and what the published data actually say. No hype, no guesses about launch dates.
What Is Amylin, in Plain English?
Amylin is a peptide hormone (a short chain of amino acids). Your pancreas releases it with insulin every time you eat. It tells your brain you've had enough.
Amylin does three main jobs after a meal:
- Slows stomach emptying, so food leaves your stomach more gradually.
- Lowers glucagon after meals, the hormone that pushes blood sugar up.
- Signals fullness through receptors in the brainstem.
Natural human amylin is a poor drug. It clumps into sticky fibrils and breaks down fast. Every amylin analog on this list is an engineered fix for those two problems.
Why Amylin Analogs Matter Right Now
GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide changed weight care. But they act on one main fullness pathway, plus GIP for tirzepatide. Amylin works through a different receptor family in a different part of the brainstem.
That separation is the whole pitch. Researchers want to know if a second pathway adds benefit, or gives a gentler ride for people who struggle with GLP-1 side effects. A 2026 review in the journal Peptides describes a "second generation" of long-acting amylin analogs now moving through trials.
If you want the head-to-head on the two pathways, our amylin vs GLP-1 comparison covers the mechanisms in detail.
Amylin Analogs at a Glance
| Amylin analog | Developer | Receptor targets | Dosing studied | Status (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pramlintide (Symlin) | AstraZeneca | Amylin + calcitonin receptors | Injection before meals | FDA-approved for diabetes (2005) |
| Cagrilintide | Novo Nordisk | Amylin + calcitonin receptors | Once-weekly injection | Investigational |
| CagriSema | Novo Nordisk | Amylin + calcitonin + GLP-1 | Once-weekly injection | Investigational, phase 3 |
| Amycretin | Novo Nordisk | Amylin + calcitonin + GLP-1 (one molecule) | Weekly injection or daily tablet | Investigational |
| Eloralintide | Eli Lilly | Amylin-selective | Once-weekly injection | Investigational |
| Petrelintide | Zealand Pharma / Roche | Amylin + calcitonin receptors | Once-weekly injection | Investigational |
Status reflects published sources as of this writing. Only pramlintide has FDA approval. The other five are not FDA-approved and cannot be prescribed outside a clinical trial.
1. Pramlintide (Symlin): The Original Amylin Analog
Pramlintide is the only amylin analog with FDA approval. Per its FDA prescribing information, it is approved as an add-on to mealtime insulin for adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
It is injected before major meals, so dosing is several times a day. It also carries a boxed warning for severe low blood sugar when used with insulin. That combination kept it a niche drug.
Why it matters: pramlintide proved the amylin pathway is real in humans. It is not approved for weight management.
2. Cagrilintide: The Long-Acting Successor
Cagrilintide is an engineered amylin analog with a fatty-acid tail. That tail lets it last long enough for once-weekly injections. It acts on both amylin and calcitonin receptors, which is why it's called a DACRA (dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist).
The 2026 Peptides review summarizes a 26-week phase 2 trial in 906 adults without diabetes. At the top 4.5 mg dose, mean body weight fell 10.8%, or 7.8 points more than placebo. Those are trial averages, not a prediction for any one person.
Cagrilintide is investigational. TelosRX does not offer it. Our cagrilintide explainer covers why research-supplier versions are a real safety risk.
3. CagriSema: Cagrilintide Plus Semaglutide
CagriSema pairs cagrilintide 2.4 mg with semaglutide 2.4 mg in one weekly injection. It's the most advanced amylin-based weight program in the world.
The phase 3 REDEFINE 1 trial was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025. It enrolled 3,417 adults with overweight or obesity and no diabetes. At 68 weeks, the estimated mean body-weight change was −20.4% with CagriSema versus −3.0% with placebo.
Side effects were common. Gastrointestinal events hit 79.6% of the CagriSema group versus 39.9% on placebo. Most were described as transient and mild to moderate.
CagriSema is not FDA-approved. For how its parts compare to what's available now, see cagrilintide vs semaglutide.
Want an Option You Can Access Today?
None of the investigational amylin analogs can be prescribed yet, but two GLP-1-based options can. Compounded tirzepatide acts on both GLP-1 and GIP receptors. Compounded semaglutide acts on GLP-1.
Both are compounded medications, which are not FDA-approved. Both are subject to medical approval by a licensed provider through a fully asynchronous intake, with no video appointment required.
4. Amycretin: Two Pathways in One Molecule
Amycretin takes a different route. Instead of mixing two drugs, it is a single peptide that activates both amylin and GLP-1 receptors. Researchers call this a unimolecular co-agonist.
It's being tested as a weekly injection and as a daily tablet. The 2026 Peptides review reports that early phase 1 and phase 2 trials of both forms showed meaningful weight reduction. The data are still early and trial populations are small.
Why it matters: a tablet that hits two fullness pathways would remove the needle for many people. That's a big if, and it's years from a pharmacy shelf.
5. Eloralintide: An Amylin-Selective Approach
Eloralintide comes from Eli Lilly. Unlike cagrilintide, it is designed to favor amylin receptors over calcitonin receptors. The theory is that a more selective drug may feel different to take.
The Peptides review lists a 48-week phase 2 trial with mean weight reductions near 20% at the highest dose studied. Earlier phase 1 work ran 12 weeks. Phase 3 data have not been published at the time of writing.
That puts eloralintide in the same weight-change range as some GLP-1 drugs, as monotherapy. It's also why so many people are watching it.
6. Petrelintide: Built for Tolerability
Petrelintide is a long-acting amylin analog from Zealand Pharma, now partnered with Roche. Its developers have framed it around tolerability. The idea is a slower, smoother appetite effect with fewer GI complaints.
The Peptides review cites a 16-week phase 1 study with a mean weight reduction of 6.6%. A phase 2 program has since reported topline data. Peer-reviewed phase 2 results are still pending.
Worth knowing: the review also flags newer candidates, including MET-233 and AZD6234. The field is crowded and moving fast.
The 6 Amylin Analogs, Ranked by How Far Along They Are
- Pramlintide — FDA-approved for diabetes since 2005.
- CagriSema — phase 3 data published in a major journal.
- Cagrilintide — studied alone and inside CagriSema.
- Eloralintide — phase 2 data reported.
- Amycretin — phase 1 and 2 data, injection and tablet.
- Petrelintide — phase 1 published, phase 2 topline reported.
What Side Effects Do Amylin Analogs Share?
The pattern looks familiar if you've used a GLP-1. The 2026 review notes that nausea and other GI effects are common during start-up and dose increases. They mostly fade with continued use.
- Nausea — most common, usually early.
- Vomiting, diarrhea or constipation — reported across programs.
- Low blood sugar — a key risk with pramlintide plus insulin, per its FDA label.
- Injection-site reactions — typical of injectable peptides.
Long-term safety data for the newer drugs are still limited. That's normal for medicines still in trials.
How to Read Amylin Analog Headlines
New trial news tends to arrive loud and short on context. A few checks help.
- Check the phase. Phase 1 is small and short. Phase 3 is large and long.
- Check the comparison. Versus placebo, versus another drug, or versus nothing?
- Check placebo-adjusted numbers. A 10.8% drop with 3% on placebo is a 7.8-point difference.
- Check peer review. A press release is not a published paper.
What Amylin Analogs Mean If You're on a GLP-1 Now
If you're already using semaglutide or tirzepatide, this news doesn't change your plan today. The amylin drugs above aren't available outside trials. Stopping a working medication to wait for one is rarely a good trade.
What you can do is keep notes on how you're feeling. Track appetite, GI symptoms and energy week to week. That record helps your provider decide whether a dose change, a slower titration or a switch between molecules makes sense.
Any change is subject to medical approval by a licensed provider. Through the TelosRX asynchronous care team, you can send those notes by message whenever it suits you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are amylin analogs FDA-approved for weight loss?
No, because pramlintide (Symlin) is the only FDA-approved amylin analog, and its approval covers use with mealtime insulin in diabetes. Cagrilintide, CagriSema, amycretin, eloralintide and petrelintide are investigational and not FDA-approved. You can only receive them inside registered clinical trials.
What is the difference between amylin analogs and GLP-1 drugs?
Both reduce appetite, but through different receptors. GLP-1 drugs act on GLP-1 receptors and boost meal-related insulin, while amylin analogs act on amylin and calcitonin receptors and slow stomach emptying. Because the pathways differ, researchers are testing whether combining them adds benefit.
What is CagriSema?
CagriSema is a once-weekly injection combining cagrilintide 2.4 mg with semaglutide 2.4 mg. In the phase 3 REDEFINE 1 trial, adults without diabetes saw an estimated mean body-weight change of −20.4% at 68 weeks versus −3.0% on placebo. It is investigational and not FDA-approved.
Can I get cagrilintide or CagriSema from TelosRX?
No, because these investigational drugs cannot be lawfully dispensed outside a clinical trial. TelosRX offers compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide, which are not FDA-approved, and every prescription is subject to medical approval by a licensed provider. Avoid any seller offering amylin analogs as research chemicals.
Do amylin analogs cause fewer side effects than GLP-1s?
Not clearly, since published trials show nausea and other GI effects are common with amylin analogs too, especially early on. Some newer candidates, like petrelintide, are being developed with tolerability as a goal. Head-to-head data are limited, so no firm conclusion is possible yet.
When will new amylin analogs be available?
No one can say for certain, because approval depends on phase 3 results and FDA review, and timelines often slip. CagriSema is furthest along. Planning care around an unreleased drug is rarely wise, so ask a provider about options that exist today.
TelosRX is LegitScript-certified. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved and are prepared under federal compounding regulations. Approval is subject to evaluation by a licensed provider; approval is not guaranteed. Individual results vary. TelosRX operates as an online-first, asynchronous telehealth service.
Start your private evaluation at TelosRX.