Comparison
Retatrutide vs semaglutide
One receptor against three, and a finished approval against a trial programme still running. The largest reported effect in the class, set beside the most established one.
Semaglutide acts on the GLP-1 receptor, has finished its trials, holds approvals, and is prescribed under supervision. Retatrutide acts on GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors, reported the larger weight reduction in phase 2, and has not finished phase 3.
So the comparison comes down to a larger reported effect against a settled one. Those are not the same kind of claim, and setting the two percentages next to each other without saying so would mislead you.
The glucagon arm has the least precedent behind it. No approved incretin drug acts there at all, which leaves retatrutide's long-term profile with less to be inferred from than anything else in the class.
| Attribute | Retatrutide | Semaglutide |
|---|---|---|
| Receptor targets | GLP-1, GIP, glucagon | GLP-1 |
| Evidence level | Early human | Approved |
| Trial stage | Phase 3 in progress | Completed, approved |
| Dosing frequency | Once weekly | Once weekly |
| Reported weight reduction | Around 24% at the highest dose in phase 2 | Around 15% at the higher dose in phase 3 |
| Most common reported side effects | Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea | Nausea, vomiting, constipation |
Things worth knowing
- A phase 2 figure and a phase 3 figure are not comparable measurements. Effect sizes commonly shrink between the two, and the populations, durations and titration schedules differ.
- Semaglutide is available as a prescribed, supervised product. Retatrutide is available that way nowhere. Everyone taking it outside a trial is taking research-labelled material.
- Both are dose-dependent for gastrointestinal effects, and retatrutide's trial doses climbed a long way over many months.
Full profile
Retatrutide
An investigational once-weekly triple agonist acting on the GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors. Not approved anywhere.
Full profile
Semaglutide
A long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for type 2 diabetes and for weight management, dosed once weekly.
Related
This page is educational. It describes what published research reports, not what you should do. Peptides discussed here are largely not approved for human use, and nothing on Bioalmanac is medical advice.