“CagriReta” is a combination of cagrilintide and retatrutide, primarily studied for the treatment of obesity and improvement of metabolic health. The proposal is to combine different hormonal mechanisms to reduce appetite, increase satiety, promote weight loss, and improve metabolic parameters, such as glucose control.

Among the possible benefits being investigated are greater reduction in weight and body fat, lower food intake, and possible improvements in factors associated with obesity, such as blood pressure and liver fat.

1. Mechanisms of Action

The synergy between these two compounds comes from layering an amylin analogue on top of a triple hormone receptor agonist to control appetite and energy through separate, non-overlapping biological pathways: [Polska Akademia Nauk

- Retatrutide (Triple Agonist): Developed by Eli Lilly, retatrutide targets three distinct metabolic hormone receptors simultaneously:
  - - GLP-1 Receptor: Incretin mimetic that suppresses appetite signals in the brain and delays gastric emptying.
    - GIP Receptor: Enhances insulin secretion in response to glucose, dampens nausea pathways, and optimises lipid/fat metabolism.
    - Glucagon Receptor: Signals the body to increase energy expenditure (thermogenesis) and promotes fat breakdown directly in the liver. Science
- Cagrilintide (Amylin/Calcitonin Co-Agonist): Developed by Novo Nordisk, cagrilintide acts on a separate system. It mimics human amylin, a pancreatic hormone that acts heavily on the hindbrain to signal profound satiety (fullness) and physically slows gastric emptying through a completely different pathway than GLP-1. [1, 2, 3, 4]

2. Clinical and Preclinical Trials

While the individual drugs are in advanced stages, the combination itself is currently yielding highly anticipated data:

The “CagriReta” Combination: Preclinical study results published in Nature Metabolism demonstrated that co-administering retatrutide and cagrilintide led to profound weight loss and food intake reductions that exceeded what either drug could do alone. Crucially, weight-matching studies showed the extreme weight loss was not just from eating less; the combination significantly enriched bioenergetic fat-burning processes.
[1, 2]
Retatrutide Trials: In its standalone Phase 2 clinical trials published in the New England Journal of Medicine, retatrutide achieved up to a historic 24.2% mean weight loss after 48 weeks at its highest dose. It also resulted in an 82% reduction in liver fat for patients with fatty liver disease. Phase 3 trials are currently ongoing. [1, 2]
Cagrilintide Trials: Novo Nordisk is currently evaluating cagrilintide heavily in its Phase 3 REDEFINE trial programme, where it is paired as a fixed-dose combo with semaglutide (known as CagriSema). [1]

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CagriReta