Metabolic medicines

Amycretin

Now called zenagamtide, an investigational GLP-1/amylin agonist with early human weight-loss findings.

Early human trials; phase 3 development reported by sponsor

Also known as: zenagamtide

Practical use

Reviewed practical notes

Match the formulation: Use the results for the same route being discussed.
Check the denominator: The longest-duration results come from selected parts of a multipart early trial.
Keep status current: A phase 3 program is investigational development and does not itself establish approval.

Injected early-phase trial

Oral early-phase trial

Novo Nordisk naming and development report

Novo Nordisk Q2 2026 program update

Overview

Amycretin, now named zenagamtide, combines GLP-1 and amylin receptor activity in one molecule. Oral and injected formulations are being investigated separately. Evidence from one formulation should not be treated as the result of the other.

Risks and limitations

Gastrointestinal adverse effects were common in the early trials. Small cohorts, withdrawals and short follow-up leave important uncertainty about uncommon harms and sustained treatment. A favorable mean weight change is not a guarantee of benefit or tolerability for an individual.

How to read this

Novo Nordisk’s second-quarter 2026 update reports phase 3 development, including initiation of the HF-POLARIS trial. This is a development milestone, not marketing authorization. The useful next question is whether larger studies confirm the benefit and characterize harms in broader populations.

Research explained

Injected phase 1b/2a study

Who was studied

125 adults randomized across multiple study parts; the longest part lasted 36 weeks.

What was found

Weight reduction favored active treatment. Gastrointestinal events were mostly mild or moderate; the primary focus was safety and tolerability.

What it cannot establish

The 36-week results come from selected parts of the multipart study. They must not be presented as if all 125 participants completed that duration.

Read the original study

Oral first-in-human study

Who was studied

144 participants across several parts, including a 60-person, 12-week multiple-exposure part.

What was found

Reported adverse events were mild or moderate and frequently gastrointestinal. Plasma exposure increased with the studied treatment conditions.

What it cannot establish

This was an early development study, not a long-term outcomes trial. The abstract does not support inventing missing arm-level weight estimates.

Read the original study

Keep the new name and route visible

The sponsor now uses zenagamtide for the compound previously called amycretin. Searching both names helps connect the research history, while preserving oral versus injected formulations and each trial phase.

Supporting source