Cagrilintide dosage chart
5 mg Vial
Cagrilintide is dosed at 600 mcg–4.5 mg weekly by subcutaneous injection in educational protocols, starting low and titrating upward. A 5 mg vial reconstituted with bacteriostatic water yields about 1.67 mg/mL. This information is for research and educational use only.
- Reconstitute
- Add 3.0 mL bacteriostatic water → ~1.67 mg/mL concentration.
- Typical weekly range
- 0.6–4.5 mg once weekly (gradual titration over 4–6 weeks).
- Easy measuring
- At 1.67 mg/mL, 1 unit = 0.01 mL ≈ 0.0167 mg (16.7 mcg) on a U‑100 insulin syringe.
- Storage
- Lyophilized: store frozen at −20 °C (−4 °F); after reconstitution, refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) and use within 30 days.
- Injection frequency
- Once weekly — same day each week.
- Dosing schedule
- 1 injection per week, 7 days apart. Hold titration steps for the listed number of weeks before increasing.
Route:
| Week/Phase | Weekly Dose (mg) | Units (per injection) | Volume (mL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | 0.6 mg | 36 units | 0.36 mL |
| Weeks 3–4 | 1.2 mg | 72 units | 0.72 mL |
| Weeks 5–6 | 2.4 mg | 144 units | 1.44 mL |
| Weeks 7–16 (Maintenance) | 4.5 mg | 270 units | 2.70 mL |
Reconstitution steps
- 1Draw 3.0 mL bacteriostatic water with a sterile syringe.
- 2Inject slowly down the vial wall; avoid foaming or vigorous agitation.
- 3Gently swirl or roll until fully dissolved (do not shake).
- 4Label with date and concentration; refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F), protected from light.
- 5Use within 30 days of reconstitution; discard if cloudy or particulate matter appears.
Dosing Cycle & Timing
This compound follows a once-weekly schedule, not the 5 days on / 2 days off cycle used for daily peptides.
- Frequency: once weekly — one injection every 7 days.
- Pick a fixed dosing day (for example every Sunday) and keep it consistent week to week.
- If a dose day is missed, administer within 48 hours; otherwise skip it and resume the normal day.
- Do not split the weekly amount into daily doses — GLP-1 compounds have a long half-life.
- Stay at each titration step for the full number of weeks shown in the schedule table before stepping up.
Important Notes
Practical considerations for consistency and tolerability.
- Use new sterile syringes for each injection; dispose in a sharps container.
- Rotate injection sites (abdomen, thighs, upper arms) weekly to reduce local irritation.
- Gradual dose escalation minimizes gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea.
- Document weekly dose, injection site, and any adverse effects to maintain consistency.
- For maintenance doses requiring >1.0 mL, ensure you have appropriately sized syringes (3 mL).
How This Works
Cagrilintide is an acylated, long‑acting analogue of amylin—a hormone co‑secreted with insulin from pancreatic beta cells. Native amylin promotes satiation, slows gastric emptying, and inhibits postprandial glucagon secretion. By acting on central amylin receptors (particularly in the area postrema and hindbrain), cagrilintide reduces appetite and energy intake. Lipid modifications extend its half‑life to approximately 160–195 hours, enabling once‑weekly dosing.
Potential Benefits & Side Effects
Observations from phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials.
- Weight reduction: In the phase 2 trial, cagrilintide 4.5 mg weekly produced approximately 10.8% body weight loss over 26 weeks versus 3.0% with placebo.
- Combination therapy: When combined with semaglutide 2.4 mg (CagriSema), phase 3 REDEFINE trials showed approximately 20% weight loss at 68 weeks, exceeding results with either agent alone.
- Dose‑dependent efficacy: Higher doses (2.4–4.5 mg) demonstrate greater weight loss than lower doses (0.3–1.2 mg).
- Side effects: Primarily gastrointestinal—nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation—which are generally mild‑to‑moderate and transient. Gradual titration helps minimize these effects.
- Injection‑site reactions: Occasional mild redness or irritation at subcutaneous injection sites.
Lifestyle Factors
Complementary strategies for optimal outcomes.
- Pair with a balanced, protein‑forward diet tailored to individual energy needs.
- Combine resistance training and aerobic activity to support metabolic health and preserve lean mass.
- Prioritize adequate sleep (7–9 hours) and stress management for adherence and recovery.
- Monitor hydration and electrolytes, especially if experiencing gastrointestinal side effects.
Injection Technique
General subcutaneous guidance from clinical best‑practice resources.
- Clean the vial stopper and skin with alcohol; allow to air dry completely.
- Pinch a skinfold; insert the needle at 45–90° into subcutaneous tissue.
- Do not aspirate for subcutaneous injections; inject slowly and steadily.
- Hold for 5–10 seconds before withdrawing the needle to ensure complete delivery.
- Rotate sites systematically (abdomen, thighs, upper arms) each week to avoid lipohypertrophy.
Important Note
This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.
Supplies needed
Plan covers the full 16-week protocol at the lowest listed starting dose: 0.6 mg per dose, once weekly (16 administrations in total), using 5 mg vials. After mixing with 3 mL, the concentration is 1.67 mg/mL and each dose requires 0.36 mL total.
Cagrilintide vials (5 mg each)
Vials are rounded up only after calculating the whole protocol: ceil(9.6 ÷ 5) = 2. Usable peptide remaining in an opened vial carries forward to the next dose.
- Full protocol (16 weeks)
- 2 vials (9.6 mg needed ÷ 5 mg)
Insulin syringes (U-100, 1 mL)
One syringe per draw — some doses need more than one draw (dose exceeds a single 1 mL syringe or finishes a vial).
- Full protocol (16 weeks)
- 17 syringes
Bacteriostatic water (10 mL bottles)
Use 3 mL per vial for reconstitution (2 × 3 mL = 6 mL).
- Full protocol (16 weeks)
- 1 × 10 mL bottle
Alcohol swabs
One for the vial stopper per draw + one for each injection site (once weekly).
- Full protocol (16 weeks)
- 33 swabs
| Supply | Full protocol (16 weeks) |
|---|---|
| Cagrilintide vials (5 mg each)Vials are rounded up only after calculating the whole protocol: ceil(9.6 ÷ 5) = 2. Usable peptide remaining in an opened vial carries forward to the next dose. | 2 vials (9.6 mg needed ÷ 5 mg) |
| Insulin syringes (U-100, 1 mL)One syringe per draw — some doses need more than one draw (dose exceeds a single 1 mL syringe or finishes a vial). | 17 syringes |
| Bacteriostatic water (10 mL bottles)Use 3 mL per vial for reconstitution (2 × 3 mL = 6 mL). | 1 × 10 mL bottle |
| Alcohol swabsOne for the vial stopper per draw + one for each injection site (once weekly). | 33 swabs |
Cagrilintide dosage FAQs
How much bacteriostatic water do you use to reconstitute Cagrilintide?
Add 3.0 mL bacteriostatic water → ~1.67 mg/mL concentration. for a 5 mg Vial vial. Add the water slowly against the inside wall of the vial and swirl — never shake — until the powder fully dissolves.
How often is Cagrilintide administered in research protocols?
Injection frequency: Once weekly — same day each week.
What does the Cagrilintide route: look like?
Weeks 1–2 — 0.6 mg — 36 units — 0.36 mL; Weeks 3–4 — 1.2 mg — 72 units — 0.72 mL; Weeks 5–6 — 2.4 mg — 144 units — 1.44 mL; Weeks 7–16 (Maintenance) — 4.5 mg — 270 units — 2.70 mL. The full table above lists every step with matching syringe units.
What are the mixing steps for Cagrilintide?
Draw 3.0 mL bacteriostatic water with a sterile syringe. Inject slowly down the vial wall; avoid foaming or vigorous agitation. Gently swirl or roll until fully dissolved (do not shake).
How should reconstituted Cagrilintide be stored?
Storage: Lyophilized: store frozen at −20 °C (−4 °F); after reconstitution, refrigerate at 2–8 °C (35.6–46.4 °F) and use within 30 days..
How many insulin syringe units equal a Cagrilintide dose?
Units depend on the water volume you used. Divide your target dose by the vial concentration to get millilitres, then multiply by 100 — 1 unit on a U-100 insulin syringe is 0.01 mL. The Spartan Peptides reconstitution calculator does this conversion for you.
Is Cagrilintide approved for human use?
No. Cagrilintide is sold and referenced strictly as a research chemical. Nothing on this page is medical advice and the material is not for human consumption.
Educational and research information only. Not medical advice, not for human consumption. Values are reference figures — always verify your own math with the reconstitution calculator.
On any insulin syringe, 1 unit = 0.01 mL, so unit counts above hold across brands.