# Semaglutide > Long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist for glycemic control and weight management. - Also known as: Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus - Class: Metabolic - FDA approved: Yes - Canonical page: https://americanpeptide.com/catalog/semaglutide ## Overview Semaglutide is a 31-amino-acid GLP-1 receptor agonist engineered for once-weekly dosing via fatty-acid acylation and amino-acid substitutions that resist DPP-4 degradation. Approved by the FDA for type 2 diabetes (2017) and chronic weight management (2021). Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist built on the backbone of human GLP-1. Two engineering changes define it: a C18 fatty-diacid chain attached through a linker that promotes reversible binding to albumin, and amino-acid substitutions that resist degradation by the enzyme DPP-4. Together these extend its half-life to roughly a week, enabling once-weekly administration. It reached the market first for type 2 diabetes (Ozempic, 2017; oral Rybelsus, 2019) and then for chronic weight management (Wegovy, 2021). Large cardiovascular-outcome and weight-management trials have made it one of the most studied metabolic peptides of the past decade, and its template — acylation plus DPP-4 resistance — now informs the broader incretin class. ## Mechanism GLP-1 receptor agonism → glucose-dependent insulin secretion, slowed gastric emptying, central appetite suppression. ## Chemistry | Property | Value | | --- | --- | | Molecular formula | C187H291N45O59 | | Molecular weight | 4113.6 Da | | CAS number | 910463-68-2 | | PubChem CID | [56843331](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/56843331) | ## Research areas Studied in: Type 2 diabetes, Obesity, MASH, Cardiovascular risk reduction. Guides on this site: - [Weight Loss & Metabolic Health](https://americanpeptide.com/research-areas/weight-loss): Incretin and metabolic peptides studied for glycemic control and fat loss. ## Key research - Glycemic control — studied for glucose-dependent insulin secretion and glucagon suppression in type 2 diabetes. - Weight management — chronic-weight-management trials reported substantial mean body-weight reduction versus placebo. - Cardiovascular outcomes — investigated for reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events in at-risk populations. - MASH / hepatic fat — examined as an endpoint in metabolic liver-disease research. - Half-life engineering — fatty-acid acylation and DPP-4-resistant substitutions are the basis of its once-weekly profile. ## Storage, handling & synthesis **Storage.** Lyophilized: store frozen and protected from light; stable for extended periods. Reconstituted: refrigerate at 2–8 °C and use within weeks, not months. **Handling.** Reconstitute gently — swirl rather than shake, since agitation can shear the peptide. Protect from heat and minimize freeze–thaw cycles. **Synthesis.** Beyond its 31-residue chain, semaglutide carries a fatty-diacid side chain on a linker — extra synthetic steps that each add cost and another opportunity for impurities to form. Genuine material is purified to a defined spec and documented on a certificate of analysis, never judged by appearance. ## FAQs ### What is semaglutide? Semaglutide is a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management. It is marketed as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. ### How does semaglutide promote weight loss? In studies it slows gastric emptying and acts on appetite centers in the brain while enhancing glucose-dependent insulin release, which together reduce caloric intake. ### Why is it dosed once weekly? Fatty-acid acylation promotes reversible binding to albumin and amino-acid substitutions resist DPP-4 breakdown, extending its half-life to about a week. ### What is the difference between Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus? All three are semaglutide. Ozempic and oral Rybelsus are approved for type 2 diabetes; Wegovy is approved for chronic weight management. This page is a research reference, not medical advice. ## Latest research Recent trials and publications mentioning Semaglutide, pulled automatically from ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed (unfiltered search results, refreshed daily). ### Recent trials - [Cardiac and Metabolic Effects of Semaglutide in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05371496) — COMPLETED · PHASE4 · NCT05371496 - [Research Study to Investigate How Well Semaglutide Tablets Taken Once Daily Work in East Asian People Who Are Overweight or Living With Obesity](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05132088) — COMPLETED · PHASE3 · NCT05132088 - [A Study to See the Effect of NNC0194-0499 Alone or in Combination With Semaglutide on Blood Sugar Control in People Living With Type 1 Diabetes](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07087795) — ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING · PHASE1 · NCT07087795 - [SEMA-CardioDiab HUNGARY: A Research Study to Understand the Effects of Oral Semaglutide on Blood Sugar Levels, Weight, and Cardiovascular Risk in People With Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Hungary](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06269120) — COMPLETED · NCT06269120 - [Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Four Second Line Pharmacological Strategies in Type 2 Diabetes Study](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05220917) — ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING · NCT05220917 - [A Research Study to See if Two Different Formulations of Oral Semaglutide Are Equally Safe and Effective in Reducing the Blood Sugar Level in Japanese People With Type 2 Diabetes](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07271251) — COMPLETED · PHASE3 · NCT07271251 ### Recent publications - [Liver Organoids: From Disease Modelling to Regenerative Medicine.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42599088/) — Cell Prolif, 2026 Aug 14 (PMID 42599088) - [Efficacy and safety of semaglutide injection in Indian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled on metformin: A phase 3, randomized, active-controlled, multicenter, non-inferiority trial (WIN-IND study).](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42598626/) — Metabol Open, 2026 Sep (PMID 42598626) - [Patient Experiences and Safety Concerns Regarding GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42598160/) — Saudi Med J, 2026 Sep (PMID 42598160) - [Once-weekly IcoSema versus once-daily insulin glargine U100 in type 2 diabetes management (COMBINE 4): an open-label, multicentre, treat-to-target, randomised, phase 3b trial.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42594928/) — Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol, 2026 Aug 13 (PMID 42594928) - [Semaglutide treatment fails but might prevent Alzheimer's disease.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42594906/) — Lancet, 2026 Aug 15 (PMID 42594906) - [Gastroparesis induced by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: A systematic review of clinical features, diagnosis, management, and outcomes.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42594084/) — PLoS One, 2026 (PMID 42594084) --- Source: AmericanPeptide.com — https://americanpeptide.com/catalog/semaglutide Data license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Attribution: AmericanPeptide.com. Research reference only — computational and educational content, not medical advice.