Approved by at least one major regulator for a defined indication, with published human pharmacokinetics and a prescribing label. Well-characterised does not mean risk-free, read the label warnings.
Approximately 1 week. Long half-life is driven by albumin binding, which slows renal clearance and protects against DPP-4 degradation. Present in circulation for ~5 weeks after the last dose.
Model a dosing schedule →Label doses span 0.25 mg (starting) to 2.4 mg (Wegovy maximum). The starting dose is a tolerability step, not a therapeutic dose.
Reconstituted: Commercial pens: refrigerate 2-8°C before first use; after first use store per label (varies by product).
BOXED WARNING: thyroid C-cell tumours in rodents; contraindicated with personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. Risks include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, hypoglycaemia with insulin/sulfonylureas, diabetic retinopathy complications, and acute kidney injury from volume depletion. Common: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation.