Cagrilintide Dosage, half-life & reference guide
Also known as Cagri · AM833 · NNC0174-0833
A long-acting version of amylin, the fullness hormone the pancreas releases alongside insulin, given as a weekly shot. On its own, its higher doses led to about 10–12% weight loss in trials; the crowd mostly runs it beside a GLP-1 such as semaglutide, tirzepatide or retatrutide, the way Novo Nordisk pairs it with semaglutide in CagriSema.
- Studied range
- 0.25–2.4 mgstarting dose 0.25 mg
- How often
- Weekly
- Half-life
- ~1 week
- Evidence
- ●●●
Established - Route
- SubQ injection
Studied in research — not a recommendation.
How it works.
Long-acting, lipidated analogue of amylin, the satiety hormone the pancreas releases with insulin. It activates amylin receptors and the calcitonin receptor (a non-selective amylin agonist); amylin promotes fullness, slows stomach emptying and holds back glucagon after meals. A fatty-acid chain stretches its half-life to about a week, so it is a weekly shot, usually run beside a GLP-1. Not approved on its own: it is the amylin half of Novo Nordisk's CagriSema.
Commonly reported: Feeling full sooner and portions shrinking, with nausea or constipation after step-ups and some injection-site reactions. It is not approved on its own.
Half-life & active level
The half-life of Cagrilintide is ~1 week (measured in people: 159–195 hours in a phase 1b trial).
Here's how a typical Cagrilintide schedule accumulates over four weeks (one-compartment estimate).
An estimate from the half-life above, not a measurement. See your own curve build live in the half-life calculator.
Week by week.
What to expect in the first 8 weeks
- Onset
- Days–2 weeks
- Peak effect
- 26–68 weeks (trial endpoints)
- Duration
- Ongoing
Day 1–28 · 0.25 mgRCT
The 0.25 mg start
You're on 0.25 mg, the first step in its trials. Commonly reported: fullness arriving a little sooner in meals, and some nausea in the day or two after the shot.
The science
In the phase 2 CagriSema trial (Frias 2023), the cagrilintide-only arm started at 0.25 mg for 4 weeks and stepped up every 4 weeks, through 0.5, 1.0 and 1.7 mg, to 2.4 mg by week 16 (protocol NN9838-4862, NCT04982575), to limit GI side effects. The earlier phase 2 monotherapy trial (Lau 2021) used an escalation of up to 6 weeks to its 0.3–4.5 mg doses.
Sources- Frias et al. (2023)
- Lau et al. (2021)
Updated Oct 2026
Day 29–364 · 0.5 mgRCT
0.5 mg, the second step
At 0.5 mg, commonly reported: meals ending earlier and less grazing between them. In its phase 2 trial, even the lowest doses lost more weight than placebo by week 26.
The science
Lau 2021 (706 adults without diabetes, 26 weeks): weight fell 6.0–10.8% across the 0.3–4.5 mg doses on the trial-product estimand, vs 3.0% on placebo, with similar results counting everyone randomized.
Sources- Lau et al. (2021)
Updated Oct 2026
Any dayRCT
What Cagrilintide is built on
A 706-person phase 2 trial and a cagrilintide-only arm inside the phase 3 REDEFINE 1, with most of its data from the CagriSema program. It is not approved on its own.
The science
Kruse 2021 describes its design: a stable, lipidated amylin analogue built for weekly dosing, where pramlintide, the older amylin drug, needs injections three times a day. Lau 2021: 706 adults, 26 weeks, 6.0–10.8% weight loss vs 3.0% on placebo, and 4.5 mg beat liraglutide 3.0 mg (10.8% vs 9.0%). Enebo 2021 measured its half-life in people at 159–195 hours. Novo Nordisk lists a high-dose cagrilintide phase 3 as starting in the third quarter of 2026.
Sources- Kruse et al. (2021)
- Lau et al. (2021)
- Enebo et al. (2021)
- Novo Nordisk (H1 2026 report) (2026)
Updated Oct 2026
With SemaglutideRCT
With semaglutide: the CagriSema pair
This is the pairing with trial data. Together, as CagriSema, the two averaged 22.7% weight loss at 68 weeks for people who stayed on treatment, against 16.1% for semaglutide alone; in the trials both stepped up together every 4 weeks.
The science
REDEFINE 1 (Garvey 2025; 3,417 adults): −20.4% for the combination vs −3.0% on placebo counting everyone randomized; on the trial-product estimand −22.7%, vs −16.1% for semaglutide 2.4 mg and −11.8% for cagrilintide 2.4 mg (Busetto 2026). In phase 1b, adding cagrilintide 2.4 mg to semaglutide 2.4 mg gave 17.1% weight loss at week 20 vs 9.8% with semaglutide and placebo (Enebo 2021).
Sources- Garvey et al. (REDEFINE 1) (2025)
- Busetto et al. (2026)
- Enebo et al. (2021)
Updated Oct 2026
With Retatrutide and TirzepatideAnimal
With retatrutide or tirzepatide: the crowd's stacks
Cagrilintide beside retatrutide or tirzepatide is a common crowd stack, on the same logic as CagriSema. No trial in people has tested these pairs; in obese rats, cagrilintide plus retatrutide lost more weight than either alone.
The science
Petersen 2026 (Nature Metabolism): in diet-induced obese male rats, daily cagrilintide plus retatrutide cut body weight and food intake more than equal doses of either drug alone, and more than matched combinations with semaglutide or tirzepatide; pair-feeding showed the extra loss was not explained by eating less alone. Human data for these pairs come only from community reports, and the two drugs belong to different companies (Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly).
Sources- Petersen et al. (2026)
Updated Oct 2026
After week 8
Day 57–364 · 1 mgRCT
1 mg, the middle step
1 mg is the middle step. Amylin signals fullness through partly different brain pathways than a GLP-1, which is why the two add up when run together.
The science
Amylin, released with insulin, promotes satiety, slows stomach emptying and suppresses glucagon after meals (Volčanšek 2025); cagrilintide activates amylin receptors and the calcitonin receptor (Fletcher 2021). In REDEFINE 1 the combination with semaglutide lost more weight than either drug alone (Garvey 2025).
Sources- Volčanšek et al. (2025)
- Fletcher et al. (2021)
- Garvey et al. (REDEFINE 1) (2025)
Updated Oct 2026
Day 85–364 · 1.7 mgRCT
1.7 mg, the step before 2.4 mg
1.7 mg is the last trial step before 2.4 mg. In its trials, nausea and other GI side effects were the most common events, and mostly mild to moderate.
The science
In the phase 2 monotherapy trial (Lau 2021), GI side effects affected 41–63% across the cagrilintide doses vs 32% on placebo, mainly nausea (20–47% vs 18%); GI events and injection-site reactions were the most frequent, and Novo Nordisk's later trial protocol summarizes both as mild to moderate.
Sources- Lau et al. (2021)
- Novo Nordisk protocol NN9838-4862 (2021)
Updated Oct 2026
Day 113+ · 2.4 mgRCT
2.4 mg, the phase 3 dose
2.4 mg is the dose carried into phase 3. On its own in REDEFINE 1, it averaged 11.8% weight loss at 68 weeks for people who stayed on it, against 2.3% on placebo.
The science
REDEFINE 1 (Garvey 2025) included a cagrilintide-only arm of 302 adults: −11.8% at 68 weeks on the trial-product estimand, vs −16.1% for semaglutide 2.4 mg alone and −22.7% for the two combined (Busetto 2026). Phase 2 also tested 4.5 mg (−10.8% at 26 weeks; Lau 2021).
Sources- Garvey et al. (REDEFINE 1) (2025)
- Busetto et al. (2026)
- Lau et al. (2021)
Updated Oct 2026
Day 1 is the day you start it.
Phase 2 dose-finding RCT (Lau 2021), the cagrilintide-only arm of phase 3 REDEFINE 1 (Garvey 2025) and phase 1b PK (Enebo 2021); the trial escalation is from the phase 2 CagriSema protocol (NCT04982575). Not approved on its own.
Moderate evidence
Mixing and a typical run.
Example numbers
Reconstitution example
Reconstitute a 10 mg vial of Cagrilintide with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water and a 0.25 mg dose is 5 units on a U-100 syringe, about 40 doses per vial.
- Vial
- 10 mg
- Water
- 2 mL
- Amount
- 0.25 mg
Draw to5 units
0.3 mL insulin syringe · 30 units
Run notes
- Cycle
- Trials run it continuously: 26 weeks in phase 2, 68 weeks in phase 3. Community use is mostly as a weekly add-on to a GLP-1.Community practice — opinions vary. Not a clinical recommendation.
- Timing
- Once weekly, same day each week. Its trials stepped up every 4 weeks: 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.7, then 2.4 mg (the phase 2 CagriSema trial; REDEFINE 1 escalated over 16 weeks). The phase 2 monotherapy trial also tested 0.3 to 4.5 mg. These are trial escalations, not an approved regimen.
- Route
- SubQ injection
- Stacks
- Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Retatrutide
Safety.
Common side effects
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Injection-site reactions
Interactions
Its only published interaction data are with semaglutide: in phase 1b, cagrilintide did not change semaglutide's exposure or elimination. Amylin slows stomach emptying, which could change how quickly oral medicines are absorbed. Beside a GLP-1 the GI effects add up: in REDEFINE 1, 79.6% on the cagrilintide-semaglutide pair had GI side effects vs 39.9% on placebo. With insulin or a sulfonylurea, discuss glucose monitoring with your clinician.
Safety notes
Cagrilintide has no label of its own. In its 26-week phase 2 trial, GI side effects (mainly nausea, constipation and diarrhea) affected 41–63% across doses vs 32% on placebo, and injection-site reactions were among the most frequent events; they were mostly mild to moderate. A thorough QT study up to 4.5 mg found no clinically relevant effect on heart rhythm (QTc). It is an amylin analogue, not a GLP-1, but it is almost always run beside one, so that drug's own label warnings (including the rodent thyroid C-cell boxed warning and pancreatitis) apply to the stack, and the GI effects add up. These are trial findings; review them with your clinician.
Goes with.
Questions people ask.
What is Cagrilintide?
A long-acting version of amylin, the fullness hormone the pancreas releases alongside insulin, given as a weekly shot. On its own, its higher doses led to about 10–12% weight loss in trials; the crowd mostly runs it beside a GLP-1 such as semaglutide, tirzepatide or retatrutide, the way Novo Nordisk pairs it with semaglutide in CagriSema.
How is Cagrilintide dosed in research?
The research range for Cagrilintide is 0.25–2.4 mg, weekly, with a 0.25 mg starting dose. Studied in research — not a recommendation.
How long does Cagrilintide last?
The half-life of Cagrilintide is ~1 week (measured in people: 159–195 hours in a phase 1b trial).
What do people report on Cagrilintide?
Commonly reported on Cagrilintide: feeling full sooner and portions shrinking, with nausea or constipation after step-ups and some injection-site reactions. It is not approved on its own.
Is Cagrilintide safe?
The research basis for Cagrilintide is established: clinical trials or FDA-approved use exists. Common side effects in the library: nausea, constipation, diarrhea and injection-site reactions.
What does Cagrilintide stack with?
Common stacks for Cagrilintide: Semaglutide, Tirzepatide and Retatrutide.
Research.
Reference.
- Cadence
Weekly
- Half-life
~1 week
~1 week (measured in people: 159–195 hours in a phase 1b trial)
- Research basis
●●●
EstablishedClinical trials or FDA-approved use exists
PepVault for iPhone
Track Cagrilintide in PepVault
Log every dose, keep your vial and the doses left in it and watch its estimated active level. 7 days free on the yearly plan for new subscribers.
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