Mazdutide: Scientific Profile

Publicado el 12 de julio de 2026

Mazdutide (IBI362; synonym LY3305677; CAS 2259884-03-0) is an oxyntomodulin-analog peptide, a dual agonist of the GLP-1 and glucagon receptors, studied in metabolic research. Its mechanism combines GLP-1 incretin signaling with glucagon receptor activation to modulate satiety and energy expenditure in research models.

Mazdutide (development code IBI362; synonyms LY3305677 and IBI-362; CAS 2259884-03-0) is a synthetic peptide of the metabolic class that acts as a dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and the glucagon receptor (GCGR). With molecular formula C210H322N46O67 and an approximate molecular weight of 4563.14 g/mol, it is a relatively large molecule among the peptide agonists of incretin receptors, structurally designed from the oxyntomodulin scaffold, a natural gut hormone that natively activates both GLP-1R and GCGR. The molecule was originated under license from the oxyntomodulin-analog platform and subsequently developed as a metabolic candidate, which places it in the same conceptual field as other GLP-1/glucagon co-agonists explored for research in obesity and metabolic disorders.

From a structural standpoint, mazdutide is a linear peptide derived from the oxyntomodulin/glucagon sequence, on which modifications were introduced aimed at prolonging its half-life and adjusting the balance of potency between the two receptors. Like other long-acting agonists of this class, it incorporates a lipid chain (fatty acid acylation) that favors reversible binding to serum albumin, reducing renal clearance and extending systemic exposure, which in research models has been associated with weekly administration schedules. The peptide backbone conserves the recognition determinants necessary for GLP-1R activation while retaining appreciable activity on GCGR, a feature that distinguishes dual co-agonists from selective GLP-1 agonists.

The proposed mechanism of action is dual and complementary. Through the GLP-1 component, mazdutide activates Gs protein-coupled receptors in pancreatic beta cells, central nervous system cells and peripheral tissues, which in research models translates into potentiation of glucose-dependent insulin secretion, slowing of gastric emptying and satiety signaling at the hypothalamic and brainstem level. Through the glucagon (GCGR) component, it adds an additional pathway related to energy expenditure: activation of the glucagon receptor in liver and adipose tissue has been linked in the preclinical literature to increased thermogenesis, lipid mobilization and greater energy consumption. The design hypothesis of this class is that combining the anorexigenic and sensitizing effect of GLP-1 with the energy-expenditure effect of glucagon could amplify the loss of fat mass in models, while the incretin component counteracts the intrinsic hyperglycemic tendency of isolated glucagon receptor activation. This balance of relative potencies between the two receptors is one of the most studied parameters of the molecule in the research setting.

With regard to documented research applications, mazdutide has been studied mainly in the context of body weight control and glucose metabolism. The clinical research programs developed with this compound —notably in China— have evaluated its profile in cohorts with obesity/overweight and in type 2 diabetes, generating data on body weight reduction, glycemic control, and lipid and hepatic parameters. There is also research interest in its possible impact on hepatic fat content, given the glucagon receptor activation component, which is metabolically related to the liver. It is important to frame this information correctly: the data come from a specific development program and their interpretation must be restricted to the research context and to the models and populations studied.

On the level of evidence, mazdutide belongs to the class of dual incretin/glucagon receptor agonists, a class that has been the subject of formal clinical trials, so its database is substantially more robust than that of obscure experimental peptides. Nonetheless, and in all honesty, much of the body of clinical evidence for this particular compound has been generated in a geographically concentrated program and is still in a consolidation phase in the international peer-reviewed literature. For this reason, although the pharmacological class is clinically validated in general terms, any claim about the efficacy or safety of mazdutide must be presented with appropriate caution and always within the research-use framework.

In summary, mazdutide (IBI362) is a long-acting GLP-1/glucagon co-agonist peptide, structurally derived from oxyntomodulin and acylated to extend its half-life, whose interest in metabolic research lies in the combination of incretin signaling and glucagon receptor activation. Its class is clinically supported, while the compound-specific data continue to be integrated into the scientific literature. All the material described here is offered for purposes of research and scientific characterization.