Cagrilintide is a long-acting, acylated analogue of human amylin (islet amyloid polypeptide, IAPP) — a peptide co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic β-cells that contributes to postprandial glucose control and satiety. It acts as a nonselective agonist of the amylin receptors (AMY1 and AMY3) and calcitonin receptors (CTR). Receptor agonism produces three coordinated effects: central satiety signaling through hindbrain areas such as the area postrema (reduced food intake), slowing of gastric emptying (prolonged postprandial nutrient absorption), and suppression of postprandial glucagon. Because it is modified with a C20 diacid for albumin binding, cagrilintide achieves a once-weekly dosing profile, distinguishing it from short-acting native amylin analogues like pramlintide.

Cagrilintide and semaglutide act through different receptor systems. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist acting through incretin-mediated glucose-dependent insulin secretion and GLP-1R signaling to suppress appetite. Cagrilintide instead activates amylin and calcitonin receptors, driving central satiety, gastric emptying, and glucagon suppression — the amylin axis. Because these pathways are largely complementary rather than redundant, combining cagrilintide with semaglutide (the investigational CagriSema combination) produces additive weight loss — the dual agonism recruits two distinct satiety mechanisms to reduce energy intake more than either agent alone. For researchers, this makes cagrilintide a key tool to study amylinergic vs incretinergic pharmacology.

Cagrilintide's long-acting profile rests on two structural features. First, a C20 eicosanedioic acid is conjugated through a γ-glutamate (γ-Glu) linker to a lysine residue on the amylin backbone. This fatty diacid mediates reversible, high-affinity binding to serum albumin, which slows renal clearance and enzymatic degradation, extending the circulating half-life to support once-weekly dosing. Second, the peptide retains the native Cys3-Cys8 disulfide bridge that stabilizes the bioactive amylin fold and receptor-binding conformation. Together, the albumin-binding lipid and the intramolecular disulfide confer both pharmacokinetic protraction and structural integrity.

Cagrilintide is supplied as a lyophilized powder and should be stored at -20°C, protected from light and moisture, where it is stable for up to 2 years. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles, which can degrade the peptide. For reconstitution, dissolve in sterile water or an aqueous buffer (e.g., PBS) at a concentration appropriate for your protocol; the lyophilized powder is also soluble in DMSO. Reconstituted solutions should be kept at 2-8°C and used within 24 hours for optimal activity. Always verify solubility and stability for your specific assay, and consult the lot-specific COA before use.

Every cagrilintide lot is supplied as Research Use Only (RUO) with complete documentation including: Certificate of Analysis (COA) with HPLC purity (≥98.0%), peptide content, and water content; Mass Spectrometry (MS) confirmation of molecular weight; HPLC chromatogram; endotoxin testing (≤1.0 EU/mg); MSDS/SDS; and solubility and storage guidance. UPOR Biotech operates under ISO 9001, cGMP, and FDA facility registration. Note that cagrilintide is for laboratory research only — not for human diagnostic or therapeutic use.