Petrelintide, an experimental amylin agonist medication, may offer a new weight loss option with fewer gastrointestinal side effects than GLP-1 medications, according to a recent phase 2 trial.Participants taking petrelintide lost up to 9.8% of their body weight over 28 weeks, with gastrointestinal side effects similar to placebo. Petrelintide isn\u2019t yet commercially available and requires further trials and more data before it can be considered a viable alternative for people who can\u2019t tolerate GLP-1 medications.<\/p>\n
According to research from 2025<\/a>, 42 out of 288 people with overweight or obesity taking GLP-1 medication (14.6%) quit the treatment due to an inability to tolerate side effects.<\/p>\n Finding alternatives to GLP-1 drugs could help some people follow the weight loss treatment with fewer side effects. A new study published in September 2026<\/a> has explored the investigational, or experimental, drug petrelintide to determine whether it could support weight loss with fewer gastrointestinal side effects.<\/p>\n In a combined comment<\/a>, study authors Sten Madsbad<\/a> and Jens Holst<\/a> explain that \u201c[t]he therapeutic landscape of obesity is changing rapidly, most recently with long-acting amylin agonists as a novel class of anti-obesity medications. Amylin is co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic \u03b2 cells in response to nutrient intake; it slows gastric emptying, suppresses postprandial glucagon secretion, and probably acts as a satiety signal.\u201d<\/p>\n They add that, \u201c[i]mportantly, these effects are mediated through pathways partly complementary to those of GLP-1,\u201d and that \u201cthe relatively favorable tolerability [per the study findings] supports the potential of amylin agonists as monotherapy.<\/p>\n However, while initial findings, including clinically meaningful weight reductions, are promising, further research is necessary before petrelintide becomes an available weight loss treatment.<\/p>\n Participants in the study experienced an up to 9.8% change in body weight after 28 weeks.<\/p>\n The phase 2 trial involved 485 participants with either overweight or obesity and no history of diabetes. Participants received either the placebo or different doses of petrelintide:<\/p>\n 79 people received 1.0 milligrams (mg) petrelintide.81 people received 2.5 mg petrelintide.83 people received 5.0 mg petrelintide.79 people received 7.0 mg petrelintide.82 people received 9.0 mg petrelintide.81 people received the placebo.<\/p>\n The mean percentage change in body weight ranged from 7.9% in those taking 1 mg petrelintide for 28 weeks to 9.8% in those taking 5 mg.<\/p>\n