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TL;DR — Landscape Summary

As of March 9, 2026, three injectable/oral obesity drugs are FDA approved: Wegovy (injectable + oral) and Zepbound. CagriSema has filed for FDA approval with a decision expected late 2026. The largest Phase 3 programs include retatrutide (triple agonist, ~24%), orforglipron (oral, 12.4%), and survodutide (dual GLP-1/glucagon, ~18.7%). The amylin pathway is emerging as a key area with petrelintide and zenagamtide in Phase 2.

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Complete Obesity Drug Tracker — March 2026
Drug Sponsor Mechanism Stage Weight Loss
Semaglutide (Wegovy) Novo Nordisk GLP-1 agonist (injectable) Approved ~15% (STEP 1)
Semaglutide (Wegovy pill) Novo Nordisk GLP-1 agonist (oral) Approved 16.6% (OASIS 4)
Tirzepatide (Zepbound) Eli Lilly Dual GLP-1/GIP agonist Approved ~22.5% (SURMOUNT-1)
CagriSema Novo Nordisk Cagrilintide + semaglutide NDA Filed 22.7% (REDEFINE 1)
Retatrutide Eli Lilly Triple agonist (GLP-1/GIP/GCGR) Phase 3 ~24% (Phase 2)
Orforglipron Eli Lilly Oral non-peptide GLP-1 Phase 3 12.4% at 72 wks (ATTAIN-1)
Survodutide Boehringer Ingelheim Dual GLP-1/glucagon Phase 3 ~18.7% (Phase 2)
VK2735 (subcutaneous) Viking Therapeutics Dual GLP-1/GIP Phase 3 14.7% at 13 wks (Phase 2)
Mazdutide (IBI362) Innovent / Lilly China Dual GLP-1/glucagon Phase 3 ~15% (Phase 3 China)
Petrelintide Roche / Zealand Amylin analog (monotherapy) Phase 2 10.7% at 42 wks (ZUPREME-1)
Zenagamtide (amycretin) Novo Nordisk Unimolecular GLP-1/amylin Phase 2 ~22% (Phase 1b/2)
Oral VK2735 Viking Therapeutics Dual GLP-1/GIP (oral) Phase 2 12.2% at 13 wks

Which Obesity Drugs Are FDA Approved?

Three GLP-1 receptor agonists are FDA approved for chronic weight management as of March 2026. Wegovy (injectable semaglutide 2.4 mg, approved June 2021) was the first weekly injectable GLP-1 specifically approved for obesity, demonstrating approximately 15% mean weight loss in the STEP 1 trial. Its approval marked the beginning of the modern GLP-1 obesity drug era.

Zepbound (tirzepatide, approved November 2023) raised the efficacy ceiling significantly. As a dual GLP-1/GIP agonist, it showed approximately 22.5% weight loss in the SURMOUNT-1 trial — the highest figure for any approved obesity drug. Tirzepatide demonstrated that multi-receptor agonism could deliver meaningfully greater weight reduction than single-target GLP-1 drugs.

The Wegovy pill (oral semaglutide 25 mg, approved December 2025) became the first oral GLP-1 drug approved for obesity, evolving from the Rybelsus oral semaglutide formulation used for diabetes. The OASIS 4 trial reported 16.6% weight loss with the adherence estimand. Its approval expanded the treatment paradigm beyond injections, though the pill requires fasting conditions and water restrictions at dosing.

Which Drugs Have Filed for FDA Approval?

CagriSema is the only obesity drug with a pending NDA at the FDA as of March 2026. Novo Nordisk filed the application in December 2025 based on results from the REDEFINE 1 trial, which showed 22.7% average weight loss. CagriSema combines cagrilintide (an amylin analog) with semaglutide (a GLP-1 agonist) in a single weekly injection.

The FDA decision is expected in late 2026. If approved, CagriSema would be the first combination therapy and the first amylin-based drug approved for obesity. The REDEFINE clinical program includes additional trials evaluating CagriSema in populations with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

CagriSema’s filing is strategically important for Novo Nordisk as the company seeks to defend its position against Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, which showed comparable weight loss (~22.5% in SURMOUNT-1) with a different mechanism. The amylin component in CagriSema represents a mechanistically distinct approach.

Which Drugs Are in Phase 3 Trials?

Five obesity drugs are in active Phase 3 development, spanning multiple mechanisms and delivery formats. Retatrutide (Eli Lilly) is the most closely watched: this triple agonist targeting GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors showed approximately 24% weight loss in Phase 2 — the highest figure reported for any investigational obesity drug. The Phase 3 TRIUMPH program is ongoing, with readouts expected to define whether triple agonism meaningfully outperforms dual agonism.

Orforglipron (Eli Lilly) completed the ATTAIN-1 Phase 3 trial in August 2025, showing 12.4% weight loss at 72 weeks. As an oral non-peptide GLP-1 agonist, orforglipron avoids the food and water dosing restrictions required by the Wegovy pill. Survodutide (Boehringer Ingelheim), a dual GLP-1/glucagon agonist, showed approximately 18.7% weight loss in Phase 2 and is being evaluated in both obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).

Viking Therapeutics’ VK2735 (subcutaneous) entered Phase 3 (VANQUISH) after demonstrating 14.7% weight loss in just 13 weeks of Phase 2 treatment — a rapid onset that drew significant attention. Mazdutide (Innovent/Lilly China), a dual GLP-1/glucagon agonist, was approved in China in November 2024 and continues Phase 3 development for global markets, with approximately 15% weight loss in Chinese Phase 3 data.

Which Drugs Are in Phase 2?

The Phase 2 pipeline highlights the amylin pathway and oral multi-agonists as the two emerging frontiers. Petrelintide (Roche/Zealand Pharma) is the first amylin analog tested as a standalone obesity monotherapy, reporting 10.7% weight loss at 42 weeks in the ZUPREME-1 trial. This is notable because it demonstrates that amylin-receptor activation alone can produce clinically meaningful weight loss without combining it with a GLP-1 drug.

Zenagamtide, also known as amycretin (Novo Nordisk), is a unimolecular GLP-1/amylin agonist that showed approximately 22% weight loss in early Phase 1b/2 data. This single-molecule approach — combining two receptor activities in one compound rather than co-injecting two separate drugs like CagriSema — is an area of intense development interest.

Oral VK2735 (Viking Therapeutics) is one of the most watched oral programs after subcutaneous VK2735’s strong Phase 2 results. The oral formulation showed 12.2% weight loss at 13 weeks in the VENTURE-Oral trial, positioning it as a potential competitor to both orforglipron and the Wegovy pill if the oral dual-agonist approach continues to deliver in longer trials.

What Should Researchers Watch Next?

Four developments will shape the obesity drug landscape through 2026 and into 2027. First, the CagriSema FDA decision (expected late 2026) will determine whether amylin-based combinations enter the US market. Second, retatrutide Phase 3 readouts from the TRIUMPH program will confirm or temper the remarkable ~24% Phase 2 weight-loss figure in a larger population.

Third, watch for orforglipron’s regulatory filing — Eli Lilly has not yet disclosed an NDA submission date, but the positive ATTAIN-1 data support advancement. Fourth, the amylin pathway convergence is significant: three major drugs (CagriSema, petrelintide, zenagamtide) target amylin signaling through different approaches, and their collective data will clarify how large a role this pathway plays in next-generation obesity treatment.

The oral obesity drug race is also intensifying. With the Wegovy pill now approved and orforglipron and oral VK2735 advancing, the question is whether oral multi-agonists can match or approach the efficacy of injectable multi-agonists — a gap that current data suggests still exists but is narrowing. For head-to-head efficacy data, see our Retatrutide vs Tirzepatide vs CagriSema analysis. For verified research peptide suppliers, see our best research peptides 2026 guide.

Which obesity drugs are FDA approved in 2026?
As of March 9, 2026, three obesity drugs are FDA approved: Wegovy (injectable semaglutide, approved June 2021), the Wegovy pill (oral semaglutide 25 mg, approved December 2025), and Zepbound (tirzepatide, approved November 2023). All three are GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Is CagriSema approved?
Not yet. Novo Nordisk filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the FDA in December 2025 based on the REDEFINE 1 trial showing 22.7% weight loss. An FDA decision is expected in late 2026. If approved, CagriSema would be the first combination amylin/GLP-1 therapy for obesity.
What is the most effective investigational obesity drug?
Retatrutide (Eli Lilly) showed approximately 24% weight loss in Phase 2 — the highest figure reported for any investigational obesity drug. It is a triple agonist targeting GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors. Phase 3 data from the TRIUMPH program will confirm whether this figure holds in larger trials. Cross-trial comparisons should be interpreted with caution.
Are there approved oral obesity drugs?
Yes. The Wegovy pill (oral semaglutide 25 mg) was FDA approved in December 2025 with 16.6% weight loss in the OASIS 4 trial. Several other oral obesity drugs are in development, including orforglipron (Phase 3 complete, 12.4%) and oral VK2735 (Phase 2, 12.2% at 13 weeks).
Which obesity drugs target the amylin pathway?
Three major programs target the amylin pathway: CagriSema (Novo Nordisk, cagrilintide + semaglutide, NDA filed), petrelintide (Roche/Zealand, amylin analog monotherapy, Phase 2), and zenagamtide/amycretin (Novo Nordisk, unimolecular GLP-1/amylin agonist, Phase 2). The amylin pathway is emerging as a key area of obesity drug investment.

Our Research Standards

This article cites peer-reviewed studies, FDA filings, and ClinicalTrials.gov data. All claims are cross-referenced against primary sources. We update articles when new trial data or regulatory decisions are published. Read our editorial policy →

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About the Author

Dr. Nadia Haroun, PharmD

Research Director, Remy Peptides

Dr. Haroun leads editorial review across all research articles covering GLP-1 receptor agonists, triple agonists, and the obesity drug pipeline. Her work spans peptide analytical chemistry, HPLC purity validation, and clinical trial data interpretation.

View editorial policy →
References & Citations
  1. FDA. Approved obesity drug labeling. accessdata.fda.gov
  2. Novo Nordisk. CagriSema NDA filing. December 2025. prnewswire.com
  3. Jastreboff AM, et al. Retatrutide Phase 2 trial. N Engl J Med. 2023. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2301972
  4. Eli Lilly. Orforglipron ATTAIN-1 Phase 3 results. August 2025. investor.lilly.com
  5. Roche. Petrelintide ZUPREME-1 Phase 2 results. March 2026. roche.com
  6. Viking Therapeutics. VK2735 pipeline. vikingtherapeutics.com
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