Mazdutide: effects, trials and approval status

What is mazdutide?

Mazdutide activates both the GLP-1 receptor and the glucagon receptor in a single molecule. This dual receptor agonist is based on an analogue of the natural hormone oxyntomodulin. Innovent Biologics is developing it under license from Eli Lilly and holds the rights for China. There, it is injected once weekly for weight management and type 2 diabetes. Source

How does mazdutide work?

Mazdutide combines the effects of two hormonal systems. Activation of the GLP-1 receptor 1:

• Increases glucose-dependent insulin release, Source Source

• Slows stomach emptying,

• Reduces appetite.

Activation of the glucagon receptor 2 is intended to increase energy expenditure and promote the breakdown of liver fat.

The additional glucagon activity is intended to produce greater reductions in weight and liver fat than GLP-1 activity alone. This describes the proposed mechanism; clinical trials must show what results are actually achieved.

Is mazdutide FDA-approved?

In the United States, mazdutide remains investigational without FDA approval. In China, the NMPA approved it for long-term weight management in 2025. It was described as the first dual glucagon/GLP-1 agonist approved for weight loss. Approval for type 2 diabetes followed there in September 2025 3. These approvals apply in China, not the United States.

What does the research show?

The evidence comes from large phase 3 trials in Chinese adults. The GLORY trials, indexed in PubMed, reported the weight outcomes shown in the table.

In GLORY-2, gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common side effects. A systematic review 5 brought together consistent findings from trials involving predominantly Chinese participants. These positive, repeated phase 3 findings support the Chinese approval. They do not constitute FDA approval.

Frequently asked questions

Is mazdutide FDA-approved?

No. As of September 2026, mazdutide is approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for obesity and, since September 2025 3, for blood glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes. The FDA has not approved it for any indication. Eli Lilly has completed phase 2 studies in the United States 6; according to the source article, no US phase 3 trial is registered.

How does mazdutide differ from tirzepatide?

Both medicines activate two receptors, one of which is GLP-1R. Their second target differs: tirzepatide activates the GIP receptor (GIPR), which stimulates insulin release 7. Mazdutide activates the glucagon receptor (GCGR) to increase energy expenditure 8 and reduce liver fat. Their additional effects therefore arise through different mechanisms. No head-to-head trial of the two medicines had been completed by September 2026. The published data consequently do not allow a direct comparison of efficacy.

Does mazdutide work better than semaglutide for weight loss?

No peer-reviewed head-to-head comparison had been published by September 2026. Network meta-analyses allow indirect comparisons 9, but these can generate hypotheses rather than definitive conclusions. Mazdutide’s phase 3 data come from Chinese trial populations. Whether the findings apply to people in the United States or Europe with different baseline characteristics has not been established in phase 3 trials.

Can mazdutide be routinely prescribed in the United States?

No. It has neither an FDA-approved indication nor approved prescribing information there and remains in clinical development.

How does mazdutide differ from a GLP-1 agonist such as semaglutide?

Semaglutide selectively activates GLP-1R. Its effects mainly involve reduced appetite, slower stomach emptying and glucose-dependent insulin release. Mazdutide additionally activates GCGR, which is intended to increase energy expenditure 8 and reduce liver fat. The pharmacological difference therefore lies at the receptor level. Further studies must establish whether this produces a clinically meaningful advantage in different populations. Phase 3 data for mazdutide in patients from the United States or Europe are not yet available.

What side effects does mazdutide have?

Side effects reported in phase 2 and phase 3 trials mainly involve the gastrointestinal tract. In the 60-week Chinese GLORY-2 trial, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea were most common 10; most were mild to moderate. A 2024 meta-analysis of randomized trials 11 in people with and without diabetes also found an increased risk of transient mild or moderate gastrointestinal symptoms. As of September 2026, published US safety data come only from phase 1 and phase 2 studies.

What does the GLORY-1 trial show?

GLORY-1 was a randomized controlled phase 3 trial involving Chinese adults with obesity or overweight and associated conditions. It compared once-weekly mazdutide at 4 mg or 6 mg with placebo over 48 weeks 4. Ji and colleagues published the results in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025. Both doses produced clinically meaningful weight loss and supported NMPA approval for obesity. Because only Chinese participants were included, the results cannot automatically be applied to other populations without further evidence.

Is mazdutide approved for type 2 diabetes?

In China, yes; in the United States, no. As of September 2026, China’s NMPA has approved mazdutide for blood glucose control 3 in adults with type 2 diabetes; this approval was granted in September 2025. It supplements the earlier Chinese approval for long-term weight management. Mazdutide has no FDA approval for type 2 diabetes or any other indication.

Studies at a glance

Trial	Participants	Duration	Weight outcome
GLORY-1 4	Obesity or overweight	48 weeks	Significant weight loss compared with placebo
GLORY-2 2	Moderate to severe obesity	60 weeks	Mean weight change of about −17% with mazdutide versus about −2% with placebo

Source Source

References provided in the source article

Sources: the GLORY-1 trial (Ji et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2025, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2411528 4 ); the GLORY-2 trial (Gao et al., JAMA, 2026, DOI: 10.1001/jama.2026.8142 2 ); and a systematic review (Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2026, DOI: 10.1111/dom.71058 5 ), all indexed on PubMed.

Provenance and editorial review status

Adapted for Nutrient Desk from the source article. The claims and source attributions in the original text still require clinical review. This draft has not been cleared for indexing.