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Glossary

Glucagon receptor

Also called GCGR, Glucagon agonist, Triple agonist

The receptor for glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar and increases energy use. Retatrutide adds glucagon receptor activity to GIP and GLP-1.

In more detail

Glucagon is the counterpart to insulin: it tells the liver to release glucose. Activating its receptor also raises energy expenditure and affects fat handling in the liver, which is the idea behind adding it to weight-loss drugs.

Retatrutide, a GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist, produced large weight loss in its phase 2 trial over 48 weeks.

Why it matters

The glucagon piece is what makes retatrutide a "triple agonist" and part of why its side effect profile, such as heart rate changes, is discussed separately from the dual and single agonists.

Related terms

Peptides where this comes up

Sources

Each source is labeled by where the information comes from. How we label sources

  1. Reference work
    Glucagon receptor(opens in a new tab)

    Wikipedia · checked

  2. Clinical study
    Jastreboff AM et al. 2023, Triple-hormone-receptor agonist retatrutide for obesity: a phase 2 trial, N Engl J Med(opens in a new tab)

    PubMed · checked

Updated