Analog of the hormone amylin, given as a weekly injection, being developed by Zealand Pharma and Roche for obesity. Aims to produce weight loss with less nausea than GLP-1-type drugs.
Regulatory status
In clinical trials
Family
Long-acting amylin analog
Scientific evidence
Moderate
Number of findings
1
Where it acts
Digestive and weight · Hormones and metabolism
Also known as
petrelintide, ZP8396, RG6237
Regulatory status
FDA (US): Not approved (in phase 2 clinical trials; phase 3 in preparation)
EMA (EU): Not approved
Dose
In the phase 2 ZUPREME-1 trial, a weekly subcutaneous injection was used, with gradual escalation to maintenance doses of 1.0 to 9.0 mg (clinical trial, PMID 42810355). There is no approved dose.
Safety
The most frequent adverse effect was nausea (20% vs 6% with placebo), almost always mild. Vomiting and diarrhea were similar to placebo. Investigational drug: only within clinical trials.
Interactions
May delay gastric emptying, which in theory alters the absorption of oral drugs; no interaction studies have been published.
Differences between women and men
In phase 2 (53% women), women lost considerably more weight than men, according to Roche's results release (March 2026); the published article gives no figures by sex.
Effect by goal · level of evidence
Weight loss in adults with obesity without diabetes
reducesModerateRCT (AA)in people
−10.7% weight
Phase 2 trial with 485 adults over 42 weeks. At 28 weeks, weight dropped by 7.9% to 9.8% depending on the dose, vs 1.7% with placebo; at 42 weeks it reached up to −10.7%.
Mimics amylin, a hormone the pancreas releases together with insulin when eating. It acts in the brain by increasing satiety and slows the rate at which the stomach empties. This way people eat less without suppressing appetite as strongly as GLP-1 analogs do.
What the evidence says
In people
Weight loss in adults with obesity without diabetes. Phase 2 trial with 485 adults over 42 weeks. At 28 weeks, weight fell between 7.9% and 9.8% depending on the dose, vs 1.7% with placebo; at 42 weeks it reached −10.7%. PubMed 42810355