GLP-1 agonists

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a lab-made copy of a natural gut hormone your body releases after eating. In plain terms: it flips on your 'I'm full' signal, so you feel satisfied sooner, eat less, and your blood sugar steadies. It is the active drug in Ozempic and Wegovy.

Tirzepatide is a dual agonist that activates two gut-hormone receptors at once, GLP-1 and GIP. In plain terms: it works on two of your body's appetite-and-blood-sugar signals together, which tends to produce more weight loss than drugs that hit only one. It is the active drug in Mounjaro and Zepbound.

Retatrutide is a triple agonist that switches on three hormone receptors at once: GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon. In plain terms: it copies three of your natural 'I'm full' and fat-burning signals together, which is why it drives some of the largest weight-loss numbers seen in trials. It is still experimental.

Liraglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, the same hormone-copying approach as semaglutide but shorter-acting, so it is taken daily. In plain terms: it turns up your fullness signal to curb appetite and steady blood sugar. It is the drug in Saxenda and Victoza.

Survodutide is a dual GLP-1 and glucagon agonist. In plain terms: it copies your fullness signal and also nudges your metabolism to burn more energy, which is why trials show strong weight loss and better fatty liver. It is still experimental.

Mazdutide is a dual GLP-1 and glucagon agonist, similar in design to survodutide. In plain terms: it works on appetite and metabolism at once for weight loss and better blood sugar. It is approved in China and still in trials elsewhere.

Amycretin is a single molecule that combines GLP-1 and amylin activity. In plain terms: it packs two different 'stop eating' signals into one compound, with strong early weight-loss data. It is still experimental, in pill and injectable forms.

VK2735 is a dual GLP-1 and GIP agonist, the same two-receptor family as tirzepatide. In plain terms: it works on two appetite-and-blood-sugar signals for weight loss, with promising early results. It is in trials as both a shot and a pill.

Orforglipron is an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist, and unlike most of this group it is a small molecule rather than a peptide, so it survives digestion as a pill. In plain terms: it gives the same appetite control as the injectable GLP-1 drugs without needles, and unlike earlier oral versions it does not need to be taken on an empty stomach.

CagriSema is a fixed combination of cagrilintide (an amylin copy) and semaglutide (a GLP-1 copy) in one weekly shot. In plain terms: it hits two separate fullness pathways at once for bigger weight loss than either alone. It is still experimental.

Danuglipron is an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist and a small molecule, not a peptide, so it works as a pill. In plain terms: it gives GLP-1-style appetite control without injections. It is in testing.

MariTide is an unusual design, an antibody linked to two GLP-1 peptides that also blocks the GIP receptor. In plain terms: it combines appetite signals in one long-lasting molecule you inject only once a month. It is still experimental.

CT-388 is a dual GLP-1 and GIP agonist, the same two-receptor family as tirzepatide. In plain terms: it works on two appetite-and-blood-sugar signals for weight loss. It is a weekly shot still in trials.

Pemvidutide is a dual GLP-1 and glucagon agonist. In plain terms: it curbs appetite and nudges metabolism to burn more, studied for both weight loss and fatty-liver disease. It is still experimental.

Zovaglutide is a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist. In plain terms: it gives the usual GLP-1 appetite control but lasts long enough to inject just once a month. It is still experimental.

Dulaglutide is a GLP-1 drug, the same family as Ozempic. It copies a gut hormone that tells the pancreas to release insulin when blood sugar is high, and slows how fast the stomach empties. In plain terms: it lowers blood sugar and takes the edge off hunger. It is approved for type 2 diabetes only, and the weight loss is much smaller than what people expect from this drug family.

Exenatide was the first GLP-1 drug ever approved. It is a copy of a substance found in the saliva of the Gila monster, a venomous lizard, which turned out to act on the same receptor as the human gut hormone GLP-1 while lasting much longer. In plain terms: this is where the whole Ozempic family started. It is still approved, but it has largely been left behind by newer drugs that work better and are taken less often.

Ecnoglutide is a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist developed by Sciwind Biosciences in Hangzhou. It is described as cAMP-biased, meaning it drives one arm of the receptor's signalling while producing much less receptor internalisation than semaglutide.

Lixisenatide is a daily GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for type 2 diabetes. In plain terms: it is a real approved drug from the same family as semaglutide, and it was outsold and withdrawn from the US market.

Albiglutide was a weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist approved in 2014. In plain terms: it worked, it was less effective than its rivals, it needed mixing before every injection, and its maker pulled it worldwide.

Beinaglutide is a recombinant human GLP-1 approved in China. In plain terms: unlike semaglutide and the rest, it is not a modified analogue. It is the human hormone itself, which is why it has to be injected three times a day.