Setmelanotide vs Teriparatide
A detailed comparison to help you understand the differences and choose the right peptide for your research goals.
Setmelanotide
Setmelanotide (Imcivree) is an FDA-approved MC4R agonist for chronic weight management in patients with obesity due to specific genetic conditions (POMC, PCSK1, or LEPR deficiency).
Full details →Teriparatide
Teriparatide (Forteo) is recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-34), FDA-approved for osteoporosis treatment. It's unique among osteoporosis drugs in that it stimulates new bone formation.
Full details →Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | Setmelanotide | Teriparatide |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | Selective agonist of melanocortin 4 receptors (MC4R) in the hypothalamus, restoring the satiety signaling pathway that is disrupted in certain genetic obesity syndromes. | Intermittent PTH exposure paradoxically stimulates osteoblasts more than osteoclasts, resulting in net bone formation. Continuous exposure would cause bone loss, but pulsatile dosing builds bone. |
| Typical Dosage | Adults: Start 2mg daily, titrate based on tolerability up to 3mg daily. Pediatrics (6+): Weight-based dosing starting at 1mg daily. | 20mcg subcutaneously once daily. Maximum treatment duration of 2 years due to theoretical osteosarcoma risk from rat studies. |
| Administration | Subcutaneous injection once daily. Requires genetic testing to confirm eligible mutations before prescribing. | Subcutaneous injection in thigh or abdomen once daily. Delivered via multi-dose pen. Should sit or lie down after injection due to orthostatic hypotension risk. |
| Side Effects | Injection site reactions, skin hyperpigmentation, spontaneous penile erections, depression, and suicidal ideation (boxed warning). GI effects less common than GLP-1s. | Orthostatic hypotension, leg cramps, nausea, dizziness, headache, and injection site reactions. Transient hypercalcemia possible. |
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