Cagrilintide is a novel therapeutic agent categorized as a dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA). It mimics the hormone amylin, which complements insulin by regulating glucose, satiety, and energy balance—but improves on it with a longer half-life and reduced aggregation via design enhancements like lipid conjugation.
How It Works: Mechanism of Action
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Amylin analog: It triggers satiety signals through both homeostatic and reward pathways in the brain, enhancing feelings of fullness.
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Acts on both amylin receptors (AMYR) and the calcitonin receptor (CTR), generating a compounded effect.
Clinical Development & Efficacy
As Monotherapy
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In trials, cagrilintide alone achieved notable weight loss—around 7.8% in some studies.
Combined with Semaglutide (CagriSema)
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This combo, pairing an amylin analog with a GLP-1 agonist, has shown exceptional results:
Phase II Trials
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Achieved approximately 15.6% weight reduction over 32 weeks.
Phase III Trials (REDEFINE 1 & 2)
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REDEFINE 1 (68 weeks, non-diabetics):
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CagriSema led to ~20.4% weight loss
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Compare: semaglutide alone ~14.9%, cagrilintide alone ~11.5%, placebo ~3%.REDEFINE 2 (type 2 diabetes patients):
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Achieved ~13.7% reduction vs. 3.1% with placebo.
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Metabolic Benefits Beyond Weight Loss
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The combination therapy also produced improvements in blood pressure, glycemic control, lipid profiles, along with better physical function. Gastrointestinal side effects were typical but generally mild; cardiovascular safety parameters like heart rate remained stable.
Market Context & Investor Reaction
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The New England Journal of Medicine recently published the REDEFINE trial results in mid-2025, highlighting the impressive outcomes.
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Despite these promising results, financial markets had a mixed reaction. Some coverage reported that weight loss averages (around 22.7%) slightly underperformed lofty expectations (~25%), leading to volatility in Novo Nordisk’s stock price.
Summary Table
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Mechanism | Dual agonist of amylin & calcitonin receptors (DACRA) |
| Therapeutic Use | Investigational obesity and type 2 diabetes therapy |
| Monotherapy Effect | ~7–8% weight loss |
| Combo (CagriSema) | ~20% weight loss (non-diabetics), ~13.7% (with T2D) |
| Benefits | Appetite suppression, metabolic improvements, overall safety |




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