Cagrilintide

Cagrilintide takes obesity treatment in a different direction by targeting amylin, a hormone co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic beta cells. Amylin naturally promotes satiety, slows gastric emptying, and suppresses glucagon—effects that complement GLP-1 but through distinct pathways. The problem with native amylin is it's short-lived and tends to aggregate. Cagrilintide is an acylated analog designed for once-weekly dosing with improved stability. Alone, it produces meaningful weight loss, but the real excitement is the combination with semaglutide (called CagriSema). Phase 2 trials showed this combination produces weight loss approaching 25%—potentially the most effective obesity treatment ever tested. By hitting both amylin and GLP-1 pathways, you get additive appetite suppression through different brain circuits. Novo Nordisk is racing this through development as the potential successor to Wegovy. Cagrilintide represents the emerging understanding that obesity is a multi-pathway disease requiring multi-pathway treatment.