Dual Agonist

A dual agonist is one molecule engineered to activate two different receptors. In peptide research the term almost always refers to metabolic peptides built from the proglucagon-family scaffold, where sequence homology between GLP-1, GIP and glucagon makes a single chain capable of engaging more than one class B receptor.

Design logic

The point is not simply hitting two targets — it is fixing the ratio. A co-formulation of two peptides gives two independent pharmacokinetic profiles; a single dual agonist delivers both activities on one clearance curve, so the receptor balance stays constant over time. Published in vitro potency ratios are the defining specification of these molecules, and they differ substantially between compounds.

Examples in this catalog

• Tirzepatide — GIP/GLP-1, reported as GIP-weighted
• Survodutide and Mazdutide — GLP-1/glucagon receptor, at different balances

Why it matters

When choosing a comparator, "dual agonist" alone is not a specification. Which two receptors, at what ratio, and with what half-life determine whether two molecules are meaningfully comparable in an experiment.

Related terms

triple agonist · incretin. See Semaglutide vs Tirzepatide.