GLP-1 receptor agonist
FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY. NOT FOR HUMAN OR VETERINARY USE. NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
Compounds described on this site are supplied solely for laboratory research. They are not offered for human or veterinary use or for clinical use, and they are not intended to diagnose, mitigate, cure or prevent any disease.
Semaglutide is a synthetic peptide described in the literature as an agonist at the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R). The page reviews three publications: two laboratory studies of its structure and receptor binding, and STEP 1, a 68-week randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial reported arm by arm. The U.S. FDA has approved a drug product containing semaglutide; PepGenex research material is not that product, and the trial results describe only the material prepared for that trial.
Semaglutide is a synthetic peptide with agonist activity at the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R).
The study recorded on this page is STEP 1: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 1,961 adults with overweight or obesity and without diabetes, running 68 weeks, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2021. It declared two co-primary endpoints — the percentage change in body weight, and the proportion reaching a reduction of 5% or more — and both are recorded here as co-primary.
The figures are printed arm by arm and measurement point by measurement point, as the publication printed them. They describe what was recorded in a controlled trial, in people enrolled and monitored under a protocol, using material prepared for that trial.
An FDA approved drug product containing semaglutide exists. PepGenex research materials are not that product, are not FDA approved, and are not for human or veterinary use.
Source: Drugs@FDA, Applications NDA 209637, NDA 213051, NDA 215256 and NDA 218316. Verified 2026-09-24.
Described in the literature as an agonist at the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor. The trial recorded on this page measured endpoints, not mechanism.
Every figure on this page was recorded in a controlled trial, under supervision, using material prepared for that trial, in a population selected by its entry criteria. It is not the research material PepGenex supplies and no result here transfers to it.
Evidence represented on this page: in vitro and human. No animal research is represented. The page reviews 3 published studies, and each figure is reported for the study that published it; results are not pooled across studies.
Semaglutide is a synthetic peptide with agonist activity at the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R).
Described in the literature as an agonist at the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor. The trial recorded on this page measured endpoints, not mechanism.
This page records 3 publications, reporting laboratory (in vitro) work in 2, human work in 1. Each is listed with its identifier under References.
Human studies represented: Wilding et al., 2021, PMID 33567185.
Evidence represented on this page: in vitro and human.
No animal research is represented.
The page reviews 3 published studies, and each figure is reported for the study that published it; results are not pooled across studies.
Every figure on this page was recorded in a controlled trial, under supervision, using material prepared for that trial, in a population selected by its entry criteria. It is not the research material PepGenex supplies and no result here transfers to it.
An FDA approved drug product containing semaglutide exists. PepGenex research materials are not that product, are not FDA approved, and are not for human or veterinary use.
Source: Drugs@FDA, Applications NDA 209637, NDA 213051, NDA 215256 and NDA 218316. Verified 2026-09-24.
1 published human study on this page reports adverse events or safety measurements. Each is listed with its publication in the adverse-events section of this page.
Trial events do not establish a complete safety profile.
Adverse events and safety measurements as reported by the published human studies on this page. Each entry is attributed to its publication.
Wilding et al., 2021, PMID 33567185
Trial events do not establish a complete safety profile.
Grouped by the kind of study. Select one to narrow what is shown below.
Zhang X, Belousoff MJ, Liang YL, et al., Cell Reports, 2021;36(2):109374
published
Lau J, Bloch P, Schäffer L, et al., Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2015;58(18):7370-7380
published
Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al.; STEP 1 Study Group, The New England Journal of Medicine, 2021;384(11):989-1002
published
Double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. 1,961 adults with a body-mass index of 30 or greater — or 27 or greater with at least one weight-related coexisting condition — and without diabetes were assigned 2:1 to 68 weeks of semaglutide or placebo, each alongside a lifestyle intervention. The co-primary endpoints were the percentage change in body weight and a reduction in body weight of at least 5%.
Both co-primary endpoints of this trial separated from placebo at week 68, and the responder tables show how the difference was distributed rather than only its average: what proportion of each arm reached 5%, 10% and 15% reductions. Those proportions are the part an average conceals, and they are printed here for both arms at every threshold the publication reports.
These figures describe 68 weeks in adults who met the trial's entry criteria, who received a lifestyle intervention alongside the assigned material, and who were monitored throughout. The safety entries belong to that same record: 4.5% of the semaglutide arm stopped taking part because of gastrointestinal events, against 0.8% of the placebo arm. A result and the reason people left the trial that produced it are one finding, not two.
Classification, structure, recorded targets, evidence types and FDA status only, each read from the two compounds' own pages. These comparisons do not compare study results.
Incretin receptor agonists: both are recorded at the GLP-1 receptor; tirzepatide is also recorded at the GIP receptor.
| Semaglutide | Tirzepatide | |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Dual hormone receptor agonist (GIPR, GLP-1R) |
| Structure | Not recorded on its page | Not recorded on its page |
| Targets recorded | Agonist: GLP-1 receptor | Agonist: GIP receptor; GLP-1 receptor |
| Evidence types represented | in vitro, human | in vitro, human |
| Status with the U.S. FDA | An FDA approved drug product containing semaglutide exists. Source: Drugs@FDA, Applications NDA 209637, NDA 213051, NDA 215256 and NDA 218316. | An FDA approved drug product containing tirzepatide exists. Source: Drugs@FDA, Applications NDA 215866 and NDA 217806. |
Both are recorded as agonists at the GLP-1 receptor; retatrutide is also recorded at the GIP and glucagon receptors.
| Semaglutide | Retatrutide | |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Triple hormone receptor agonist (GCGR, GIPR, GLP-1R) |
| Structure | Not recorded on its page | Formula C221H342N46O68 |
| Targets recorded | Agonist: GLP-1 receptor | Agonist: GLP-1 receptor; GIP receptor; Glucagon receptor |
| Evidence types represented | in vitro, human | in vitro, animal, human |
| Status with the U.S. FDA | An FDA approved drug product containing semaglutide exists. Source: Drugs@FDA, Applications NDA 209637, NDA 213051, NDA 215256 and NDA 218316. | Not shown (no Drugs@FDA application record verified for this page) |
Peptide hormone analogues acting at different receptor families: the GLP-1 receptor, and the amylin and calcitonin receptors.
| Semaglutide | Cagrilintide | |
|---|---|---|
| Classification | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Amylin analogue |
| Structure | Not recorded on its page | Formula C194H312N54O59S2 |
| Targets recorded | Agonist: GLP-1 receptor | Agonist: Amylin receptors (AMY1R, AMY2R, AMY3R); Calcitonin receptor (CTR) |
| Evidence types represented | in vitro, human | in vitro, human |
| Status with the U.S. FDA | An FDA approved drug product containing semaglutide exists. Source: Drugs@FDA, Applications NDA 209637, NDA 213051, NDA 215256 and NDA 218316. | Not shown (no Drugs@FDA application record verified for this page) |
The difference between a cell assay, an animal model, each phase of human study, and a sponsor press release — and why they are never shown as one number.
Amino acids, chain length, and why the distinction between a peptide and a protein is a convention rather than a rule.
