Metabolic & body composition peptides

This category holds the widest evidence spread on the site. Two compounds in it carry FDA approval and Phase 3 trial programs. One failed its Phase 2B endpoint and stopped development. One has animal data only.

Where the strong evidence sits. Semaglutide and Tirzepatide have large Phase 3 programs, published head-to-head data, and approved labels. SURPASS-2 compared them directly in 1,879 participants. Both labels carry a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents, and both list a contraindication for medullary thyroid carcinoma and for MEN 2. Read those sections before anything else.

Where the evidence is still open. Retatrutide adds a third receptor target. Its Phase 2 result is the largest weight decrease recorded in this class at 24.2% over 48 weeks. It has no Phase 3 result and no approval. Treat it as untested.

Where the evidence stops. AOD-9604 is the clearest case of a compound whose marketing outran its data. It completed six human trials with about 900 participants. The 12-week METAOD005 trial gave a 1.8 kg advantage over placebo. The 24-week Phase 2B OPTIONS trial in 536 participants did not separate from placebo, and development ended in 2007. HGH Fragment 176-191 is a related but different molecule with no human trial at all. MOTS-c has strong mouse data and human data that are observational only.

How to use this category. Compare panel 3 across the six profiles. The gap between an approved drug and a research compound is not a matter of degree. It is a matter of whether a controlled human trial exists.