CT-388 and Ecnoglutide are each a copy of the gut hormone GLP-1.
GLP-1 is what your gut releases after a meal to tell your brain you have eaten.
Same target, different schedules: CT-388 weekly; Ecnoglutide once weekly.
| Comparison | CT-388 | Ecnoglutide XW003 · Xianweiying |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | How it works CT-388 targets GLP-1 and GIP, the same pair as tirzepatide, with a different molecule. | How it works Two GLP-1 drugs can hit the same receptor and produce different downstream traffic. |
| What it is | An experimental weekly weight-loss shot in the tirzepatide family. | A GLP-1 approved in China and licensed to Pfizer, and not approved in the US. |
| Status | In trialsInvestigational | In trialsApproved abroad, not FDA approved |
| Typical dose | 4–24 mg per week | — |
| How often | Weekly | Once weekly |
| Stays active | About 6 days | 124 to 138 hours at steady state |
| Dose comes from | Clinical trial protocol | Clinical trial protocol |
| Cycled? | Not cycled in the trials Clinical trial protocol | Continuous weekly dosing Clinical trial protocol |
| What it does | ||
| Drug class | GLP-1 / GIP agonist | GLP-1 agonist |
| Used for | An experimental weekly weight-loss shot in the same family as tirzepatide. It is in testing. | Approved in China for weight management and for type 2 diabetes. Not approved in the United States, Europe or the UK. |
| Receptors hit | GLP-1, GIP | — |
| Numbers | ||
| Full dose line | 4 up to 24 mg per week (trial doses) | 1.2 to 2.4 mg |
| Why that cycle | Given continuously for the whole study period: 48 weeks. The dose is stepped up at the start, which is a ramp rather than a cycle, and no trial in this class built in a planned break. | Trials dosed weekly and continuously across 24 to 48 weeks. As with the rest of the class, the effect depends on continued treatment. |
| Weight / effect | Not measured in a trial | Not measured in a trial |
| Chain length | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Common vial | — | 10 mg |
| Before you start | ||
| Route | Under the skin (subcutaneous) | Under the skin (subcutaneous) |
| Do not use if | No formal contraindications established Pregnancy | A personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2, per the class Pregnancy or breastfeeding A history of pancreatitis |
What people actually report
CT-388
- Stomach side effects.
- Trial-only.
- Vomiting badly enough that you cannot keep fluids down
- Severe stomach pain that spreads to your back
Ecnoglutide
- Nausea, reduced appetite and headache were the reported adverse events in early trials.
- Described as generally safe and well tolerated across Phase 1 to Phase 3.
- Severe or persistent abdominal pain, which can indicate pancreatitis
- A lump or swelling in the neck, hoarseness or trouble swallowing
Side effects are what users and trials report most often, not a complete list. Anything sudden, spreading, or breathing-related is an emergency regardless of which compound caused it.
People also compare
This comparison does not cover cost, long-term safety, or how you personally will respond. Effect figures come from separate trials in different populations and are not always directly comparable to each other. Nothing here is medical advice or a recommendation to use any of these. Talk to a clinician about your own situation.