Metabolic & insulin research
This hub covers compounds researched for effects on blood glucose, insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity and liver fat. Approved and late-stage incretin drugs here have large human trials, but many other entries rest on rodent studies alone.
Approved or human trial evidence
SemaglutideHuman trial evidence · FDA-approvedIts FDA label describes glucose-dependent insulin secretion and lower glucagon; studied in humans in cardiovascular (SUSTAIN-6) and kidney (FLOW) outcome trials in type 2 diabetes.
LiraglutideHuman trial evidence · FDA-approvedIts label describes glucose-dependent insulin release via the GLP-1 receptor; studied in humans in the LEADER cardiovascular outcomes trial of 9,340 adults with type 2 diabetes.
TirzepatideHuman trial evidence · FDA-approvedStudied in humans in SURPASS-2, an open-label comparison with semaglutide on HbA1c in type 2 diabetes; a clamp study after 28 weeks reported increased insulin sensitivity.
TesamorelinHuman trial evidence · FDA-approvedGHRH analogue whose label lists glucose intolerance or diabetes among warnings; small randomized human trials in HIV-associated abdominal fat have reported liver-fat changes.
MazdutideHuman trial evidence · Approved outside the USStudied in two phase 3 human trials in type 2 diabetes measuring HbA1c, one against dulaglutide; mouse work used glucagon- and GLP-1-receptor knockout animals.
RetatrutideHuman trial evidence · InvestigationalStudied in human phase 3 trials including TRANSCEND-T2D-1, which reported HbA1c changes in type 2 diabetes; in obese mice it improved glycemic control.
CagrilintideHuman trial evidence · InvestigationalAmylin analogue studied in a 32-week phase 2 human trial in type 2 diabetes, in which the cagrilintide-only arm reported an HbA1c change.
AmycretinHuman trial evidence · InvestigationalStudied in 36-week phase 2 human trials in type 2 diabetes using injected and oral forms, measuring HbA1c; obese rats showed improved insulin sensitivity on clamp testing.
SurvodutideHuman trial evidence · InvestigationalStudied in human trials in obesity with type 2 diabetes, obesity with MASLD and biopsy-confirmed MASH with fibrosis, measuring weight and liver outcomes.
PemvidutideHuman trial evidence · InvestigationalStudied in humans for liver fat in MASLD and in the 24-week phase 2b IMPACT trial in biopsy-confirmed MASH, where the fibrosis endpoint was not met.
DulaglutideHuman trial evidence · FDA-approvedOnce-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist FDA-approved for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes and to reduce cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes.
ExenatideHuman trial evidence · FDA-approvedThe first GLP-1 receptor agonist approved by the FDA (2005), for glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes.
PramlintideHuman trial evidence · Approved, no longer marketedAmylin analog FDA-approved in 2005 as an add-on to mealtime insulin; all products are now listed as discontinued.
EcnoglutideHuman trial evidence · Approved outside the USGLP-1 receptor agonist approved in China in 2026 for glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes.
Limited human data
NAD+Limited human data · Not approved — research use onlyNot a peptide; the oral precursor NMN was studied in a randomized trial in postmenopausal women with prediabetes, measuring glucose disposal by clamp. NAD+ itself was not tested.
PancragenLimited human data · Not approved — research use onlyShort bioregulator peptide studied in a small 2011 human report in older people with type 2 diabetes measuring glucose and insulin, and in old rhesus monkeys.
Animal and laboratory research
5-Amino-1MQPreclinical research · Not approved — research use onlyStudied in diet-induced obese mice, where glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and hepatic steatosis were measured; no human study was identified.
AOD-9604Preclinical research · Not approved — research use onlyIn obese Zucker rats, oral AOD9604 reduced body-weight gain without the loss of insulin sensitivity reported with intact growth hormone; no controlled human trial.
HGH Fragment 176-191Preclinical research · Not approved — research use onlyIn normal rats, this growth hormone fragment produced a short-lived rise in blood glucose and a more sustained rise in insulin; no human study was identified.
HumaninPreclinical research · Not approved — research use onlyIn rats, humanin infused into the brain was associated with improved insulin sensitivity on clamp testing; human studies measured the body's own levels only.
IGF-1 LR3Preclinical research · Not approved — research use onlyIn pigs, this IGF-I analogue lowered plasma glucose more potently and for longer than native IGF-I; no human administration study was identified.
MOTS-cPreclinical research · Not approved — research use onlyIn mice, MOTS-c prevented age-dependent and high-fat-diet-induced insulin resistance; no controlled trial giving MOTS-c to humans was identified.
SLU-PP-332Preclinical research · Not approved — research use onlyA small-molecule ERR agonist, not a peptide; in obese mice it was studied for fatty acid oxidation and insulin sensitivity. No human study was identified.
Comparisons in this area
Guides
Questions people ask
Which peptides have human trials for blood sugar in type 2 diabetes?
Semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide and mazdutide have randomized human trials in type 2 diabetes, and investigational retatrutide, cagrilintide and amycretin have reported HbA1c results in phase 2 or phase 3 trials. Among non-incretin entries, pancragen has only a small 2011 report that was not described as randomised.
Has MOTS-c been tested in people for insulin resistance?
No controlled trial administering MOTS-c to humans was identified. Its insulin-sensitivity findings come from mice, and the human data are measurements of the endogenous peptide, such as its rise in muscle and blood after exercise.
Which peptides are being studied for fatty liver disease?
Pemvidutide and survodutide, both dual GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonists, have randomized human trials in MASLD or biopsy-confirmed MASH. Small randomized trials of tesamorelin in HIV-associated abdominal fat have also reported liver-fat changes, and semaglutide's label cites a mouse MASH model.
For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not a drug, food, or dietary supplement. Listing a compound under a research goal describes published research in the stated model. It is not a claim that the compound works, and it is not medical advice.