Semaglutide
Semaglutide is a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist studied for glycemic control and chronic weight management; research protocols typically start at 0.25 mg subcutaneously weekly, titrating toward a 2.4 mg maintenance dose.
It has been studied for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes, chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related conditions, and reduction of major cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and obesity or overweight.
Semaglutide is a synthetic, long-acting analog of the human incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), sharing roughly 94% structural homology with native GLP-1; backbone modifications and a fatty-acid (C18 diacid) side chain confer albumin binding and resistance to DPP-4 degradation, extending its half-life to permit once-weekly dosing. It acts as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, binding receptors expressed in the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system. Research has characterized glucose-dependent enhancement of insulin secretion, suppression of glucagon, slowing of gastric emptying, and reduced appetite and energy intake via central satiety pathways.
It is FDA-approved (marketed as Ozempic and Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy for chronic weight management and, in established cardiovascular disease with obesity/overweight, cardiovascular risk reduction); the injectable forms are extensively studied in large randomized trials.
In the approved injectable form, research and labeling describe once-weekly subcutaneous administration with gradual dose escalation over several weeks (for weight-management studies, titrating toward a 2.4 mg maintenance dose) to limit gastrointestinal effects, while an oral formulation has been studied as a once-daily tablet.
Research reports steady-state exposure after approximately 4 to 5 weeks of once-weekly dosing, with appetite and metabolic effects emerging over weeks and weight-loss outcomes accruing progressively across trial periods of up to 68 weeks.
In clinical research it has most often been studied alongside lifestyle intervention (reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity), and in diabetes settings in combination with agents such as metformin, insulin, or SGLT2 inhibitors.
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This page is educational reference material about compounds studied in research settings. It is not medical advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, possess, or use any compound. Research findings described are from published literature; individual compounds may not be approved for human use. Talk to a licensed clinician about anything that affects your health.