Reviewed by Dr Sarah Mitchell, PhD · Editorial Board
Cagrilintide UK status
Cagrilintide is a long-acting analogue of amylin — a pancreatic hormone that slows gastric emptying and increases satiety. It is investigational, with Novo Nordisk testing it both standalone and in combination with semaglutide (CagriSema). Not licensed anywhere as of mid-2026.
What cagrilintide is
Cagrilintide (Novo Nordisk code NN9838) is a long-acting analogue of human amylin, designed for once-weekly subcutaneous injection. Amylin is co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic beta cells and contributes to satiety, slows gastric emptying, and modulates glucagon. Pramlintide (Symlin) is an earlier short-acting amylin analogue licensed in the US for type 1 diabetes — cagrilintide extends the half-life dramatically.
The CagriSema combination
The most-discussed form is CagriSema — cagrilintide paired with semaglutide in a single weekly injection. The rationale is mechanistic complementarity: amylin and GLP-1 acting through different pathways toward overlapping outcomes (satiety, gastric emptying, glycaemic control).
Phase 2 trials of CagriSema have reported weight-loss effects larger than semaglutide alone. Phase 3 (REDEFINE programme) has been running across obesity and type 2 diabetes indications. Reported phase 3 results have been mixed compared to phase 2 expectations; the regulatory pathway and timeline depend on the final data package.
Lawful UK access
Cagrilintide (standalone or as CagriSema) is available in the UK only through participation in a registered clinical trial. The NIHR Be Part of Research portal is the starting point for UK trials.
Grey-market warning
As with retatrutide, “research-grade cagrilintide” vials circulating in the unregulated peptide market are unlicensed-medicine supply with all the issues that follow: no licensed reference product, identity and concentration unverifiable, no batch traceability, and the supply chain is unlawful. See compounded peptides in the UK.
Red-flag claims
If you see wording like this on a seller, clinic, or social-media advert, treat it as a warning sign rather than a benefit.
“CagriSema available now from our clinic”
CagriSema is not licensed. A clinic claiming current supply is either using investigational material outside trial scope (which has its own regulatory issues) or selling something other than the genuine product.
“Research-grade cagrilintide — UK shipping”
Unlicensed-medicine supply of an investigational compound with no licensed reference product. Highest-risk category of grey-market peptide supply.
“Amylin + semaglutide stack — the best of both”
‘Stack’ marketing of investigational compounds. The investigational combination is what Novo Nordisk is testing in trials; consumer self-administration outside trials isn't ‘CagriSema’.
Sources & further reading
- NIHR — Be Part of Research — nihr.ac.uk
- ClinicalTrials.gov — clinicaltrials.gov
- MHRA — gov.uk
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 — legislation.gov.uk