Teriparatide vs Cagrilintide
A detailed comparison to help you understand the differences and choose the right peptide for your research goals.
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 →Cagrilintide
Cagrilintide is a long-acting amylin analog in development, showing promising results when combined with semaglutide (CagriSema). Amylin is a hormone co-secreted with insulin that promotes satiety.
Full details →Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | Teriparatide | Cagrilintide |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | 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. | Activates amylin receptors (calcitonin receptor with RAMP proteins) to slow gastric emptying, suppress glucagon secretion, and reduce food intake through central satiety mechanisms distinct from GLP-1. |
| Typical Dosage | 20mcg subcutaneously once daily. Maximum treatment duration of 2 years due to theoretical osteosarcoma risk from rat studies. | Clinical trials: 2.4mg weekly as monotherapy or in combination with semaglutide 2.4mg (CagriSema). Optimal dosing still being determined. |
| Administration | 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. | Subcutaneous injection once weekly. Currently only available in clinical trials - not yet FDA approved. |
| Side Effects | Orthostatic hypotension, leg cramps, nausea, dizziness, headache, and injection site reactions. Transient hypercalcemia possible. | Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation similar to other incretin-based therapies. Combination with semaglutide may increase GI effects initially. |
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