Evidence Grade E — Very limited evidence. 4 published studies. 5 registered clinical trials.
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Petrelintide is a long-acting amylin analogue from Zealand Pharma, competing with cagrilintide in the amylin space. It has a longer half-life (about 10 days versus 7) and is chemically stable without the tendency to form clumps — a manufacturing and safety advantage. Its primary strategic value is as a combination partner with GLP-1 drugs.
Petrelintide is also known by these brand and alternate names:
4 published studies: 3 human, 0 animal, 2 in-vitro, 1 reviews
Petrelintide is in Phase II development (not yet approved). Phase Ib results (48 patients, 16 weeks) showed up to 8.6% weight loss. No serious adverse events or anti-drug antibodies were detected. A Phase IIb trial is ongoing.
Petrelintide's primary strategic interest is as a potential partner for combination with GLP-1 agonists, similar to how cagrilintide is combined with semaglutide in CagriSema (#162). Zealand Pharma is also developing it in combination with survodutide.
Petrelintide activates amylin receptors and the calcitonin receptor, promoting satiety through brain pathways that complement GLP-1 signalling. Its chemical stability (no fibrillation tendency) differentiates it from native amylin and some analogues, which are prone to forming insoluble aggregates that complicate manufacturing and storage.
Phase Ib results (48 patients, 16 weeks) showed up to 8.6% weight loss with no serious adverse events. A collaboration with Roche pairs it with CT-388 (a GIP/GLP-1 agonist), while Zealand also plans to combine it with other compounds. Evidence is currently limited to early-phase data with small sample sizes. Phase IIb results (ZUPREME-1) are expected in the first half of 2026 and will be critical for determining the compound's viability. The chemical stability enabling easy formulation with partner drugs is a genuine technical advantage over cagrilintide. Whether the amylin-alone mechanism can compete with multi-target approaches remains uncertain.
PeptideTrace tracks 5 registered clinical trials for Petrelintide sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.
A Dose-Finding Study of Petrelintide With Enicepatide (RO7795068) in Adults With Obesity or Overweight
Investigating the Pharmacokinetics of Petrelintide Using Different Drug Product Concentrations
Efficacy and Safety of Petrelintide in Participants With Overweight or Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes (ZUPREME 2)
Pharmacokinetics of Petrelintide Following Administration to Participants With Impaired Renal Function
Once-weekly Petrelintide Versus Placebo for Obesity or Overweight With Co-morbidities
Petrelintide (ZP8396) is a 36-amino-acid acylated amylin analog peptide developed by Zealand Pharma. The compound has a half-life of approximately 10 days, which is longer than cagrilintide's approximately 7 days. CAS number has not been publicly assigned. A critical differentiating feature is chemical stability at neutral pH, unlike cagrilintide which requires acidic pH, enabling co-formulation with other peptides. In March 2025, Roche entered an exclusive collaboration and licensing agreement with Zealand Pharma valued at $1.65 billion to co-develop and co-commercialize petrelintide.
Petrelintide acts as a potent balanced agonist of both amylin receptors (AMY1-3R) and the calcitonin receptor (CTR). The compound increases satiety signaling through area postrema and hypothalamic pathways and restores leptin sensitivity in preclinical models. Dose-proportional pharmacokinetics from 0.6 to 9.0 mg support predictable dose-response relationships in clinical development.
Phase 1b MAD Part 2 (NCT05613387; N=48; topline June 2024): maintenance doses achieved -4.8% (2.4 mg), -8.6% (4.8 mg), and -8.3% (9.0 mg) weight loss at 16 weeks versus -1.7% placebo. No serious adverse events were reported and no anti-drug antibodies were detected across any dose group. Phase 2b ZUPREME-1 (NCT06662539; 42-week treatment duration; enrollment completed March 2025) topline results are expected H1 2026. ZUPREME-2 for T2D was initiated in April 2025. The Roche collaboration ($1.65 billion) encompasses both petrelintide standalone development and a fixed-dose combination with CT-388.
The information on this page is provided for educational and research reference purposes only. This is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions.
Semaglutide is one of the most extensively studied peptide medications available today, with clinical trial data spanning over 50,000 patients. It is sold as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes (approved 2017), Rybelsus as an oral tablet for diabetes (approved 2019), and Wegovy for weight management (approved 2021). Wegovy has since received additional approvals for reducing heart attack and stroke risk, for use in adolescents aged 12 and older, and for liver disease related to obesity. In clinical trials, patients taking Wegovy lost an average of 14.9% of their body weight over 68 weeks, and the SELECT trial demonstrated a 20% reduction in major cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. Research is now exploring its potential in early Alzheimer's disease. The main side effects are gastrointestinal, particularly nausea, and a key limitation is that most weight tends to return after stopping treatment.
Bimagrumab is in Phase II/III development (not yet approved). A Phase II trial (75 patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity) showed 20.5% fat mass reduction with 3.6% lean mass increase — essentially reshaping body composition without net appetite suppression. The BELIEVE Phase IIb trial (507 patients) showed that bimagrumab plus semaglutide achieved 22% weight loss with the weight lost being 88% fat — significantly better body composition than semaglutide alone. Bimagrumab is not a peptide. Its strategic significance is as a combination partner to address the muscle loss problem inherent in weight loss with current obesity drugs. Eli Lilly's acquisition positions it alongside tirzepatide.
Pemvidutide is in Phase II/III development (not yet approved). In the MOMENTUM Phase II trial (391 patients, 48 weeks), the 2.4 mg dose achieved 15.6% weight loss. Body composition analysis showed 78% of weight lost was fat mass, with only 22% lean mass — a favourable ratio. A Phase IIb MASH trial (212 patients) showed MASH resolution in up to 75% of patients at the highest dose. Pemvidutide's balanced receptor profile and no-titration dosing regimen represent potential practical advantages. The high rate of MASH resolution in Phase II positions it as a candidate for liver disease indications alongside obesity.
Timelines
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions about your health.
