{"version":"1.0","license":"CC BY 4.0","attribution":"AmericanPeptide.com","documentation":"https://www.americanpeptide.com/developers","generated":"2026-06-11T00:07:58.938Z","filters":{"category":null,"area":"weight-loss","fda":true,"q":null},"categories":[{"id":"metabolic","label":"Metabolic"},{"id":"growth-hormone","label":"Growth Hormone"},{"id":"healing-repair","label":"Healing & Repair"},{"id":"cognitive","label":"Cognitive"},{"id":"longevity","label":"Longevity"},{"id":"cosmetic","label":"Cosmetic"},{"id":"reproductive","label":"Reproductive"},{"id":"immune","label":"Immune"},{"id":"mitochondrial","label":"Mitochondrial"}],"researchAreas":[{"slug":"weight-loss","label":"Weight Loss & Metabolic Health"},{"slug":"wound-healing","label":"Wound Healing & Tissue Repair"},{"slug":"cognition-neuroprotection","label":"Cognition & Neuroprotection"},{"slug":"anxiety-mood","label":"Anxiety, Mood & Stress"},{"slug":"sleep-circadian","label":"Sleep & Circadian Rhythm"},{"slug":"longevity-aging","label":"Longevity & Aging"},{"slug":"growth-hormone-axis","label":"Growth Hormone & Body Composition"},{"slug":"skin-hair","label":"Skin & Hair"},{"slug":"sexual-reproductive","label":"Sexual & Reproductive Health"},{"slug":"immune-inflammation","label":"Immune & Inflammation"},{"slug":"mitochondrial","label":"Mitochondrial & Bioenergetics"}],"count":3,"peptides":[{"slug":"semaglutide","name":"Semaglutide","aliases":["Ozempic","Wegovy","Rybelsus"],"categories":["metabolic"],"categoryLabels":["Metabolic"],"researchAreas":["Type 2 diabetes","Obesity","MASH","Cardiovascular risk reduction"],"researchAreaGuides":[{"slug":"weight-loss","label":"Weight Loss & Metabolic Health","url":"https://www.americanpeptide.com/research-areas/weight-loss"}],"shortDescription":"Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist for glycemic control and weight management.","description":"Semaglutide is a 31-amino-acid GLP-1 receptor agonist engineered for once-weekly dosing via fatty-acid acylation and amino-acid substitutions that resist DPP-4 degradation. Approved by the FDA for type 2 diabetes (2017) and chronic weight management (2021).","background":["Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist built on the backbone of human GLP-1. Two engineering changes define it: a C18 fatty-diacid chain attached through a linker that promotes reversible binding to albumin, and amino-acid substitutions that resist degradation by the enzyme DPP-4. Together these extend its half-life to roughly a week, enabling once-weekly administration.","It reached the market first for type 2 diabetes (Ozempic, 2017; oral Rybelsus, 2019) and then for chronic weight management (Wegovy, 2021). Large cardiovascular-outcome and weight-management trials have made it one of the most studied metabolic peptides of the past decade, and its template — acylation plus DPP-4 resistance — now informs the broader incretin class."],"keyResearch":["Glycemic control — studied for glucose-dependent insulin secretion and glucagon suppression in type 2 diabetes.","Weight management — chronic-weight-management trials reported substantial mean body-weight reduction versus placebo.","Cardiovascular outcomes — investigated for reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events in at-risk populations.","MASH / hepatic fat — examined as an endpoint in metabolic liver-disease research.","Half-life engineering — fatty-acid acylation and DPP-4-resistant substitutions are the basis of its once-weekly profile."],"faqs":[{"q":"What is semaglutide?","a":"Semaglutide is a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management. It is marketed as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus."},{"q":"How does semaglutide promote weight loss?","a":"In studies it slows gastric emptying and acts on appetite centers in the brain while enhancing glucose-dependent insulin release, which together reduce caloric intake."},{"q":"Why is it dosed once weekly?","a":"Fatty-acid acylation promotes reversible binding to albumin and amino-acid substitutions resist DPP-4 breakdown, extending its half-life to about a week."},{"q":"What is the difference between Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus?","a":"All three are semaglutide. Ozempic and oral Rybelsus are approved for type 2 diabetes; Wegovy is approved for chronic weight management. This page is a research reference, not medical advice."}],"mechanism":"GLP-1 receptor agonism → glucose-dependent insulin secretion, slowed gastric emptying, central appetite suppression.","molecularWeight":4113.6,"molecularFormula":"C187H291N45O59","sequence":null,"cas":"910463-68-2","pubchemCid":56843331,"uniprotId":null,"fdaApproved":true,"url":"https://www.americanpeptide.com/catalog/semaglutide"},{"slug":"tirzepatide","name":"Tirzepatide","aliases":["Mounjaro","Zepbound"],"categories":["metabolic"],"categoryLabels":["Metabolic"],"researchAreas":["Type 2 diabetes","Obesity","Obstructive sleep apnea"],"researchAreaGuides":[{"slug":"weight-loss","label":"Weight Loss & Metabolic Health","url":"https://www.americanpeptide.com/research-areas/weight-loss"},{"slug":"sleep-circadian","label":"Sleep & Circadian Rhythm","url":"https://www.americanpeptide.com/research-areas/sleep-circadian"}],"shortDescription":"Dual GIP / GLP-1 receptor agonist with industry-leading weight-loss endpoints.","description":"Tirzepatide is a 39-amino-acid synthetic peptide acting as a dual agonist at GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Approved by the FDA for type 2 diabetes (2022) and chronic weight management (2023).","background":["Tirzepatide is a synthetic 39-amino-acid peptide that activates two incretin receptors at once — GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1. It carries a fatty-acid chain for albumin binding and once-weekly dosing, and is sometimes described as a \"twincretin\" for its dual mechanism.","Developed by Eli Lilly, it was approved for type 2 diabetes (Mounjaro, 2022) and chronic weight management (Zepbound, 2023). In placebo-controlled and head-to-head trials it produced some of the largest weight reductions reported for a pharmacologic agent, which has driven intense research interest in multi-receptor incretin design."],"keyResearch":["Glycemic control — dual GIP/GLP-1 activation studied for insulin secretion and HbA1c reduction.","Weight management — trials reported weight reductions exceeding those of single GLP-1 agonists.","Obstructive sleep apnea — investigated as an endpoint in people with obesity.","Cardiometabolic markers — examined for effects on lipids, blood pressure, and hepatic fat.","Dual-agonism rationale — GIP is studied as complementary to GLP-1 for insulinotropic and satiety effects."],"faqs":[{"q":"What is tirzepatide?","a":"Tirzepatide is a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for type 2 diabetes (Mounjaro) and chronic weight management (Zepbound)."},{"q":"How is tirzepatide different from semaglutide?","a":"Semaglutide activates the GLP-1 receptor alone; tirzepatide activates both GIP and GLP-1 receptors, a dual mechanism studied for greater metabolic effect."},{"q":"What does \"twincretin\" mean?","a":"It is an informal term for a peptide that engages two incretin pathways — here GIP and GLP-1 — within a single molecule."},{"q":"Is tirzepatide FDA approved?","a":"Yes, for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound. This page is a research and educational reference."}],"mechanism":"Co-activation of GIP + GLP-1 receptors; complementary insulinotropic and satiety effects.","molecularWeight":4813.5,"molecularFormula":"C225H348N48O68","sequence":null,"cas":"2023788-19-2","pubchemCid":166567236,"uniprotId":null,"fdaApproved":true,"url":"https://www.americanpeptide.com/catalog/tirzepatide"},{"slug":"tesamorelin","name":"Tesamorelin","aliases":["Egrifta"],"categories":["growth-hormone","metabolic"],"categoryLabels":["Growth Hormone","Metabolic"],"researchAreas":["Visceral adiposity","HIV-associated lipodystrophy","Cognition"],"researchAreaGuides":[{"slug":"weight-loss","label":"Weight Loss & Metabolic Health","url":"https://www.americanpeptide.com/research-areas/weight-loss"},{"slug":"cognition-neuroprotection","label":"Cognition & Neuroprotection","url":"https://www.americanpeptide.com/research-areas/cognition-neuroprotection"}],"shortDescription":"GHRH analog FDA-approved for HIV-associated lipodystrophy.","description":"Tesamorelin is a stabilized 44-amino-acid GHRH analog approved by the FDA in 2010 for reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy.","background":["Tesamorelin is a stabilized 44-amino-acid analog of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). By stimulating the pituitary to release endogenous GH, it preserves more of the body’s natural feedback than exogenous GH would.","It is FDA-approved (Egrifta, 2010) specifically to reduce excess visceral abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Beyond that indication it has been studied for visceral adiposity more broadly and, in research settings, for effects on cognition."],"keyResearch":["Visceral fat reduction — the approved use, lowering excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy.","GH axis — GHRH-receptor agonism raising endogenous GH and IGF-1.","Cognition — examined in research for effects related to GH signaling.","Hepatic fat — studied as a metabolic endpoint.","FDA-approved (Egrifta) — for a specific HIV-related indication."],"faqs":[{"q":"What is tesamorelin?","a":"Tesamorelin is a GHRH analog FDA-approved (Egrifta) to reduce excess abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy."},{"q":"How does it work?","a":"It stimulates the pituitary to release the body’s own growth hormone, rather than supplying GH directly."},{"q":"What is it approved for?","a":"Reduction of excess visceral abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Other uses described here are research contexts, not approved indications."},{"q":"Is this medical advice?","a":"No — this page is a research and educational reference, not medical advice or a dosing protocol."}],"mechanism":"GHRH receptor agonism → endogenous GH release.","molecularWeight":5135.9,"molecularFormula":"C221H366N72O67S","sequence":null,"cas":"218949-48-5","pubchemCid":16137828,"uniprotId":null,"fdaApproved":true,"url":"https://www.americanpeptide.com/catalog/tesamorelin"}]}