Comparison
Cagrilintide vs semaglutide: what is CagriSema, and how do they compare?
Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) is an FDA-approved GLP-1 medication. Cagrilintide is an investigational amylin analog, and FDA says it cannot be compounded. CagriSema combines the two. In the REDEFINE 1 trial, average weight loss at 68 weeks was about 20% with CagriSema, 15% with semaglutide alone and 11.5% with cagrilintide alone.
How do Cagrilintide and Semaglutide compare?
| Attribute | Cagrilintide | Semaglutide |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory status | Research only · Not for human use | FDA-approved · Prescription |
| Human evidence | Emerging evidence | Strong human evidence |
| Comes as | Injection in clinical trials | Weekly injection, Daily oral tablet |
| How you get it | Not lawfully available for personal use. DiscoverMedica links to no seller. | A prescription from a licensed clinician, filled by a licensed pharmacy. 24 providers are listed on DiscoverMedica. |
| How it worksNovo Nordisk (Dec 18, 2025)Wegovy label | A long-acting amylin analog | A GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| FDA positionFDAWegovy labelOzempic label | Investigational; FDA says it cannot be used in compounding and has not been found safe and effective | Approved as Wegovy (weight, heart risk, MASH) and as Ozempic and Rybelsus (type 2 diabetes) |
| REDEFINE 1, aloneNovo Nordisk (Dec 20, 2024) | 11.5% average loss at 68 weeks (cagrilintide alone) | 14.9% average loss at 68 weeks (semaglutide alone) |
| REDEFINE 1, together (CagriSema)REDEFINE 1 | 20.4% average loss at 68 weeks, versus 3.0% on placebo | The same combination |
| FDA filingNovo Nordisk (Dec 18, 2025) | CagriSema submitted to FDA in December 2025; not approved as of this review | Semaglutide alone is already approved |
| Key risksREDEFINE 1FDAWegovy label | Digestive side effects were common in trials, and long-term safety is still being studied. Products sold online as research chemicals are not the trial drug and may be counterfeit or contaminated. | Boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are common. Label warnings include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease and diabetic eye complications. |
| Listed prices | No lawful seller, so no price is listed. | Listed starting prices run from $60 to $791 across 17 providers, checked October 7, 2026. |
Status, evidence, formats, routes and prices come from each compound’s page. Prices are the providers’ own listed starting prices, which may exclude a membership fee and change often; they are not DiscoverMedica’s prices.
What is CagriSema, and how does it relate to cagrilintide and semaglutide?
CagriSema is a fixed combination of cagrilintide, a long-acting amylin analog, and semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, given as one weekly injection. Novo Nordisk filed it for FDA approval in December 2025, and describes it as the first once-weekly combination of GLP-1 and amylin analogues for weight management. Novo Nordisk (Dec 18, 2025)
Does cagrilintide add weight loss on top of semaglutide?
In REDEFINE 1, yes on average. Among 3,417 adults with obesity or overweight and no diabetes, average weight loss at 68 weeks was 20.4% with the combination, 14.9% with semaglutide alone, 11.5% with cagrilintide alone and 3.0% with placebo, counting everyone whether or not they kept taking it. Novo Nordisk (Dec 20, 2024)
The published trial report confirms the 20.4% result against placebo, and found GI side effects in 79.6% of people on the combination versus 39.9% on placebo, mainly temporary and mild to moderate. REDEFINE 1
Is cagrilintide approved like semaglutide?
No. FDA says cagrilintide cannot be used in compounding under federal law, is not a component of any FDA-approved drug, and has not been found safe and effective for any condition. Semaglutide is approved as Wegovy for weight management and as Ozempic and Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes. FDA
Which might suit whom: Cagrilintide or Semaglutide?
Only semaglutide can be prescribed today. These questions help with the decision in front of you:
- Is semaglutide or another approved medication a good fit for my goals now?
- If CagriSema is approved, how would it compare with what I take now for my situation?
- Is there a cagrilintide or CagriSema trial I might qualify for?
- What are the risks of products sold online as cagrilintide?
DiscoverMedica does not recommend one over the other. Only a licensed clinician who knows your history can decide.
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Where to get each
Licensed providers that list each one on DiscoverMedica, by name. The full list is on each compound’s page.
Prices as listed by the provider when we checked; they change.
Cagrilintide vs Semaglutide: questions, answered
Is CagriSema better than semaglutide?
In REDEFINE 1 it led to more weight loss on average: 20.4% at 68 weeks with the combination versus 14.9% with semaglutide alone. It is not FDA-approved, and GI side effects were common. Whether the extra loss would matter for you, and how it weighs against cost and side effects if it is approved, is a question for your clinician.
Can I add cagrilintide to my semaglutide?
Not lawfully outside a clinical trial. Cagrilintide is not approved, FDA says it cannot be compounded, and vials sold online as research chemicals are not the trial product. CagriSema in trials was a single fixed combination made by Novo Nordisk, not a mix of separately bought products.
What does semaglutide cost?
Semaglutide: Listed starting prices run from $60 to $791 across 17 providers, checked October 7, 2026. Cagrilintide and CagriSema have no lawful retail price because neither is approved. Listed prices change often.
Sources
- REDEFINE 1: Coadministered cagrilintide and semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (NEJM 2025)
- Novo Nordisk (Dec 20, 2024): REDEFINE 1 topline results, SEC Form 6-K
- Novo Nordisk (Dec 18, 2025): Novo Nordisk files for FDA approval of CagriSema
- FDA: Concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss
- DailyMed: Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information, revised June 2026
- DailyMed: Ozempic (semaglutide) injection prescribing information, revised May 2026
- ClinicalTrials.gov: cagrilintide studies
- Novo Nordisk: CagriSema research program
- DailyMed: Wegovy prescribing information
- STEP 1: Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (NEJM 2021)
Last reviewed October 7, 2026. Every source above was checked on or before that date. Educational information only, not medical advice; it does not replace a conversation with a licensed clinician. DiscoverMedica does not employ clinicians.