Retatrutide
The complete synthesis — every trial, every comparison, every open question.
Head-to-head with the class
How retatrutide's reported outcomes sit against the other incretin-based agents, drawn from each compound's pivotal trials and a 2025 Bayesian network meta-analysis of 19 RCTs (29,506 adults).
| Compound | Receptor targets | Peak mean wt. loss | Highest phase | Approved use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retatrutide | GIP · GLP-1 · GCG | ≈28.7% | Phase 3 | Investigational |
| Tirzepatide | GIP · GLP-1 | ≈22.5% | Approved | Obesity, T2D |
| Semaglutide | GLP-1 | ≈15% | Approved | Obesity, T2D |
| Survodutide | GLP-1 · GCG | ≈19% | Phase 3 | Investigational |
| Liraglutide | GLP-1 | ≈8% | Approved | Obesity, T2D |
Figures are approximate peak values from differing trial designs and durations; direct cross-trial comparison has limits. See the network meta-analysis (PMID 40685589) for methodology.
Study-by-study synthesis
Full synthesis continues across all indexed trials — MASLD substudy, phase 1 dose-finding, and the meta-analyses — in the citation ledger below.
Human vs. animal evidence
The single most important distinction for interpreting any compound: what has actually been shown in humans versus what is extrapolated from preclinical models. Each entry is tagged by evidence type.
Retatrutide is unusually well-supported by human data for a compound in this space. Many peptides in the library sit far more heavily on the animal side — a distinction this ledger makes explicit for every entry.
Safety-signal timeline
What the literature has surfaced, in order, so the safety picture reads as it developed — not as a single snapshot.
Open questions & contradictions
Does the cardiovascular safety profile hold over years? The dedicated MACE outcomes trial has not reported, and the observed heart-rate increase is not yet fully resolved.
How much of the effect is attributable to the glucagon arm specifically, versus the GIP/GLP-1 components? Trials establish the combined effect, not a clean dissection of each receptor's contribution.
Are the highest-dose weight results durable after treatment stops, or is regain the pattern seen with other agents in the class?
Nearly all pivotal data is industry-funded and short-to-medium term. Independent, longer replication remains limited.
What is the real-world safety picture outside controlled trials — the population this compound is most often discussed in, and the one with no published data at all?
Complete citation ledger
Every indexed paper on this compound, tagged by type. This is the reference layer the free overview points to.
Showing 10 of 47 indexed records. [[ Remaining records appended as the ledger is completed and verified. ]]
Method & verification
This synthesis is compiled from the primary literature indexed on PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov. Every claim is traced to a cited source and summarized in original language. Figures are drawn from published trial reports; where trials differ in design, we note the limits of comparison rather than overstating it. This entry is educational and reports what the research found — it contains no dosing, protocols, or guidance for use, and describes outcomes observed only under controlled clinical conditions.