Danuglipron is a copy of the gut hormone GLP-1. MK-677 is a ghrelin-receptor trigger.
GLP-1 is what your gut releases after a meal to tell your brain you have eaten.
They are aimed at different things: Danuglipron at weight loss (oral); MK-677 at muscle, sleep, appetite.
| Comparison | Danuglipron PF-06882961 | MK-677 (Ibutamoren) ibutamoren · MK-0677 |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | How it works Danuglipron was an attempt at an oral GLP-1 pill using a small molecule rather than a peptide. Development stopped. | How it works MK-677 reaches the ghrelin receptor as an oral small molecule rather than an injected peptide, and it does not stop. |
| What it is | An experimental weight-loss pill whose development was stopped over a liver-injury signal. | A once-daily pill that raises growth hormone for sleep, appetite, and muscle. |
| Status | In trialsInvestigational | Research only |
| Typical dose | 40–200 mg per dose | 10–25 mg per day |
| How often | Daily | Daily, at night |
| Stays active | Not established | ~24 hours |
| Dose comes from | Discontinued programme | Published human study |
| Cycled? | No schedule. Development stopped in April 2025 Discontinued programme | Not cycled in the research. Commonly cycled by users anyway Published human study |
| What it does | ||
| Drug class | Oral GLP-1 (small molecule) | Ghrelin mimetic (oral, not a peptide) |
| Used for | An experimental appetite-lowering pill for weight loss, no needles. It is in testing. | A once-daily pill that raises growth hormone for better sleep, appetite, muscle, and skin, with no needles. |
| Receptors hit | GLP-1 | — |
| Numbers | ||
| Full dose line | 40 up to 200 mg per dose | 10 up to 25 mg per day |
| Why that cycle | Pfizer ended the programme after a case of possible drug-induced liver injury, following the same fate as its sister compound the year before. Nothing about its dosing is worth planning around. | The longest controlled trial gave MK-677 daily for two years and the effect did not wear off, so the tolerance argument for cycling does not hold here. Insulin sensitivity did decline across those two years. Fasting blood sugar rose early on, though by the two-year mark that rise was no longer statistically significant. If there is a reason to take breaks from this one, it is metabolic rather than receptor tolerance. |
| Weight / effect | Not measured in a trial | Not measured in a trial |
| Chain length | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Common vial | — | — |
| Before you start | ||
| Route | By mouth (oral) | By mouth (oral) |
| Do not use if | Development has stopped, so it is not available and no prescriber is assessing anyone for it | Heart failure or significant heart disease, after a fracture trial was stopped early over heart-failure concerns Diabetes or poorly controlled blood sugar Active cancer Pregnancy Banned in drug-tested sport |
What separates them
Proof behind the dose. MK-677 has a dose from a published human study. Danuglipron has a dose from a programme that was stopped.
What doesn't differ: They are both taken the same way (by mouth). Neither has a measured effect size from a published trial, so there is no number to rank them on.
What people actually report
Danuglipron
- Stomach side effects.
- It is not approved, and it is a pill rather than a peptide.
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or severe unexplained tiredness, which can signal liver injury
- Signs of an allergic reaction such as face or throat swelling, hives, or trouble breathing
MK-677 (Ibutamoren)
- Common downsides are water retention, extra hunger, and, over time, higher blood sugar.
- It is banned in drug-tested sport and is a pill rather than a peptide.
- Shortness of breath, or swelling in the legs and ankles, which can signal heart strain
- Signs of high blood sugar such as constant thirst or blurred vision
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.