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Incretin analog

Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a modified GLP-1 receptor agonist peptide designed for extended half-life. It is an approved prescription medicine in many jurisdictions and a major case study in peptide engineering.

By The Peptides Codex Editorial TeamReviewed July 10, 2026
Length
31 aa
Class
Incretin analog
Function
Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist
Context
Approved for type 2 diabetes & weight management (prescription)

Engineered for half-life: fatty-acid side chain + residue substitutions.

Part of the Metabolic & GLP-1 peptides cluster

Overview

Semaglutide is a modified GLP-1 receptor agonist peptide designed for extended half-life. It is an approved prescription medicine in many jurisdictions and a major case study in peptide engineering.

Source & context

Biological / chemical source: Synthetic (modified)

Primary research or clinical context: Approved for type 2 diabetes & weight management (prescription)

Engineering highlights

Key design choices include substitution for DPP-4 resistance and a C18 fatty diacid side chain that enables albumin binding and once-weekly dosing in approved products.

Educational note

Discussions of semaglutide on this site are educational. Use of prescription medicines should follow licensed medical guidance only.

Sequence

One-letter sequence commonly cited for Semaglutide (educational; isoforms and modifications may differ):

HGEGTFTSDVSSYLEGQAAKEFIAWLVRGRG

HGEGTFTSDVSSYLEGQAAKEFIAWLVRGRG

H1G2E3G4T5F6T7S8D9V10S11S12Y13L14E15G16Q17A18A19K20E21F22I23A24W25L26V27R28G29R30G31
Helical wheel projection

Residues plotted ~100° apart around an α-helix — clustering of one color reveals an amphipathic face.

Analyze sequences in the playground →

FAQ about Semaglutide

What is Semaglutide?+

Semaglutide is a modified GLP-1 receptor agonist peptide designed for extended half-life. It is an approved prescription medicine in many jurisdictions and a major case study in peptide engineering.

Is Semaglutide an approved medicine?+

Semaglutide: Approved for type 2 diabetes & weight management (prescription). Always follow licensed medical guidance for approved products.

What is the typical length of Semaglutide?+

Semaglutide is commonly described as approximately 31 amino acids (Incretin analog).

Related peptides

GLP-1
Incretin
GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is an incretin hormone that stimulates insulin secretion and influences appetite. Engineered analogs dominate modern metabolic medicine research.
CJC-1295
Research peptide
CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) studied for effects on the GH/IGF-1 axis. Variants with and without DAC (Drug Affinity Complex) appear in research discussions.
Ipamorelin
Research peptide
Ipamorelin is a selective growth hormone secretagogue receptor agonist peptide studied for GH release with a relatively focused receptor profile compared with earlier GHRPs.
Sermorelin
Research / clinical peptide
Sermorelin is a synthetic 29-amino-acid analog of growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29). It is widely searched in GH-axis education and specialty practice discussions.

References & further reading

  1. 1.Wikipedia — Semaglutide
  2. 2.PubChem — compound summary for Semaglutide (CID 56843331)
  3. 3.Wilding et al. (2021). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med
  4. 4.Davies et al. (2021). Semaglutide 2·4 mg once a week in adults with overweight or obesity, and type 2 diabetes (STEP 2): a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet
  5. 5.Wadden et al. (2021). Effect of Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo as an Adjunct to Intensive Behavioral Therapy on Body Weight in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: The STEP 3 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA
  6. 6.Rubino et al. (2021). Effect of Continued Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo on Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: The STEP 4 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA
  7. 7.Garvey et al. (2022). Two-year effects of semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity: the STEP 5 trial. Nat Med
  8. 8.Weghuber et al. (2022). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adolescents with Obesity. N Engl J Med
  9. 9.Kushner et al. (2020). Semaglutide 2.4 mg for the Treatment of Obesity: Key Elements of the STEP Trials 1 to 5. Obesity (Silver Spring)
  10. 10.Marso et al. (2016). Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med
  11. 11.Sorli et al. (2017). Efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide monotherapy versus placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 1): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multinational, multicentre phase 3a trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol
  12. 12.Pratley et al. (2018). Semaglutide versus dulaglutide once weekly in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 7): a randomised, open-label, phase 3b trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol
  13. 13.Husain et al. (2019). Oral Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med
  14. 14.Aroda et al. (2019). PIONEER 1: Randomized Clinical Trial of the Efficacy and Safety of Oral Semaglutide Monotherapy in Comparison With Placebo in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care
  15. 15.Rodbard et al. (2020). Efficacy of oral semaglutide: overview of the PIONEER clinical trial program and implications for managed care. Am J Manag Care
  16. 16.Lincoff et al. (2023). Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes. N Engl J Med
  17. 17.Kosiborod et al. (2023). Semaglutide in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity. N Engl J Med
  18. 18.Perkovic et al. (2024). Effects of Semaglutide on Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med
  19. 19.Mann et al. (2024). Effects of semaglutide with and without concomitant SGLT2 inhibitor use in participants with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease in the FLOW trial. Nat Med
  20. 20.Knudsen et al. (2019). The Discovery and Development of Liraglutide and Semaglutide. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
  21. 21.Holst (2024). GLP-1 physiology in obesity and development of incretin-based drugs for chronic weight management. Nat Metab
Disclaimer: Educational content only. Not medical advice. Not instructions for human use. Research peptides and unapproved products may be restricted or illegal to market for human consumption in your jurisdiction. Consult qualified professionals and applicable law.
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