What is CagriSema? Weight loss results, availability, & more

CagriSema is an investigational medication for weight loss being developed by Novo Nordisk. In clinical trials, the once-weekly injection led to an average weight loss of over 20% in 68 weeks. 

Read on as we dig deeper into this new potential weight loss medication, including how soon it could be available and how CagriSema stacks up against Wegovy (semaglutide), Zepbound (tirzepatide), and more.

CagriSema is a once-weekly injection currently being studied for weight loss, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular outcomes, such as heart disease and high blood pressure. It is not yet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The medication contains two active ingredients: 

• Cagrilintide, an amylin analog, which mimics amylin, a hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar regulation

• Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist found in Wegovy and Ozempic

Thus, the name CagriSema. 

CagriSema is developed by Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of other GLP-1s like Wegovy, Ozempic, and Saxenda (liraglutide). The company filed for FDA approval for weight loss in December 2025, which means CagriSema could be approved as soon as late 2026. 

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CagriSema works for weight loss by combining two medications into a single injection. Both medications work by lowering appetite and boosting fullness, but they act on different pathways to do so. 

Research suggests that including both cagrilintide and semaglutide in a single medication can make them more effective for weight loss than either drug alone. 

Here’s how cagrilintide and semaglutide work individually for weight loss:

• Semaglutide mimics a gut hormone called GLP-1 that helps regulate blood sugar levels after you eat, slows down digestion, and tells the part of your brain that regulates your appetite that you’re full.

• Cagrilintide is a long-acting amylin analog. It mimics a hormone released alongside insulin by the pancreas after you eat. Like GLP-1, it slows down digestion, increases satiety (fullness), and helps prevent blood sugar spikes.

By combining cagrilintide and semaglutide together, CagriSema enhances their effects for weight loss, further reducing appetite while boosting satiety.

Clinical studies suggest that CagriSema can lead to significant weight loss in adults with obesity or overweight, including people with and without type 2 diabetes. Here’s a look at the current research findings:

• In a clinical trial of people with diabetes and obesity or overweight, participants lost 13.7% of their body weight on CagriSema in 68 weeks (less than a year and a half).

• In a clinical trial of people with obesity or overweight, without diabetes, participants lost an average of 20.4% of their body weight in 68 weeks (less than a year and a half).

It’s also worth noting that CagriSema comes close to Zepbound’s weight loss results. And this is worth calling out because (friendly reminder!) Zepbound is currently the most effective FDA-approved medication for weight loss in the US. 

In a clinical trial comparing CagriSema to tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Zepbound) over the course of 84 weeks (~one year and eight months):

• People taking CagriSema lost 23% of their body weight.

• People taking tirzepatide lost 25.5% of their body weight.

In clinical trials, CagriSema had similar side effects to semaglutide and other GLP-1 medications. These include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Constipation 

• Abdominal pain

• Injection site reactions (i.e. redness or irritation where injected)

In most cases, these side effects ranged from mild to moderate and were most intense at the start of treatment or when increasing the dose.

CagriSema is still being studied for possible side effects, and we won’t know the official list until (and if) the drug launches. That also applies to any serious side effects. 

However, because CagriSema contains semaglutide, it may have similar risks, such as:

• Acute pancreatitis

• Kidney or gallbladder problems

• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in people who are also taking insulin or similar diabetes medications

• Severe gastrointestinal reactions

• Allergic reaction to the medication

• Diabetic retinopathy complications (i.e. diabetes-related vision changes) in people with type 2 diabetes

• Increase in heart rate

• Pulmonary aspiration (i.e. stomach contents entering the lungs) during general anesthesia or deep sedation

Also, in general, GLP-1 medications are not recommended during pregnancy and should not be used by people with a personal or family history of certain thyroid cancers.

It’s possible CagriSema will be available in late 2026 or early 2027 — it all depends on how the FDA approval process goes. 

Novo Nordisk filed for FDA approval of CagriSema for weight loss in December 2025. The FDA’s decision is expected by late 2026. 

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We won’t know how much CagriSema will cost until (if)  it receives FDA approval, and Novo Nordisk announces pricing for the drug. The cost may (or may not) be similar to that of other semaglutide medications made by the company, such as Wegovy or Ozempic. Without insurance, the list price for Ozempic is $997.58, while Wegovy has a list price of $1,349.02. 

Cash payers can get Wegovy on Ro for much less: $149–$399 per month, depending on the dose and form (pen vs. pill). It’s unknown if CagriSema will have a self-pay price at this time.

If the FDA approves CagriSema, clinical trial results suggest it could be one of the most effective weight loss medications to enter the market in the US. 

In fact, the only drug that currently beats its results is Zepbound. A clinical trial directly comparing the two found that CagriSema produced an average 23% weight loss in 84 weeks, compared with 25.5% for tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound. 

With the exception of Zepbound, however, CagriSema’s clinical trial data show that it produces more weight loss than the other weight loss pills or injections currently available, including Foundayo (orforglipron), Wegovy, and Saxenda.

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CagriSema could be approved as early as late 2026. Until then, here’s what to remember about this weight loss injection:

• CagriSema includes two active ingredients in one injection: a GLP-1 called semaglutide and an amylin analog called cagrilintide.

• Research suggests that combining the two ingredients may have a greater effect on appetite, satiety, and weight loss.

• Current clinical trial data show that CagriSema produces more weight loss  than all currently available weight loss medications, except for Zepbound, which led to greater weight loss in a head-to-head trial.

• CagriSema may also carry similar side effects and risks to other GLP-1s, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.