Novo Nordisk confirms amycretin has been renamed zenagamtide

Novo Nordisk announced ahead of the American Diabetes Association's 2026 Scientific Sessions that its investigational drug amycretin now has a new name: zenagamtide ^[1]. The company describes zenagamtide as a unimolecular long-acting GLP-1 and amylin receptor agonist, meaning a single molecule that activates both the GLP-1 receptor and the amylin receptor ^[1]. It is being developed for adults with overweight or obesity and for adults with type 2 diabetes, and is under investigation in both oral and subcutaneous (injectable) forms ^[1].

The name change comes as Novo Nordisk prepares to present 40 abstracts at the ADA meeting in New Orleans, running June 5 through 8, 2026 ^[1]. Two of those presentations focus specifically on zenagamtide. One, titled "Zenagamtide (Amycretin), a Novel Unimolecular GLP-1 and Amylin Receptor Agonist: Phase 2b Results in T2D," is scheduled as a poster session on Sunday, June 7, and covers mid-stage trial results on the safety and efficacy of the injectable version of the drug in people with type 2 diabetes ^[1]. A second presentation, an oral session on Monday, June 8, covers animal research showing that zenagamtide targets feeding-related brain regions and reduces weight in rats by cutting consumption of unhealthy solid and liquid foods ^[1].

Zenagamtide is not the only pipeline drug getting attention at the conference. Novo Nordisk will also present phase 3 REIMAGINE 1-3 trial results for CagriSema, its combination of the amylin analog cagrilintide and semaglutide, in a Sunday symposium looking at glycemic control and weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes across different background therapies ^[1]. New data on Ozempic and Wegovy, both semaglutide products, will also be presented, including analyses from the SELECT, OASIS, and PIONEER PLUS trial programs covering topics from blood pressure and kidney function to sleep apnea and biological aging ^[1].

Importantly, the company states plainly that zenagamtide, CagriSema, IcoSema, and efruxifermin are not approved in the United States, and that their safety and efficacy have not been established ^[1]. There is no guarantee any of these investigational medicines will eventually reach the market for the uses being studied ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

For people currently using GLP-1 medications, the name change itself changes nothing about the drugs they are taking today. Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus remain semaglutide, and Mounjaro and Zepbound remain tirzepatide, regardless of what happens with Novo Nordisk's newer pipeline ^[1].

What the announcement signals is that Novo Nordisk sees zenagamtide as advanced enough in development to give it a formal, market-ready name well before any potential approval, and to feature phase 2b clinical data at a major medical conference ^[1]. Dual GLP-1/amylin agonists like zenagamtide and CagriSema represent an approach some researchers hope could offer more weight loss or better glucose control than GLP-1-only drugs, though the sources here do not include specific efficacy numbers such as percentage weight loss or A1C reduction from the phase 2b trial ^[1]. Readers should not assume any particular result until that data is actually presented and published.

Because zenagamtide is still investigational, it is not available by prescription in the United States, and there is no timeline in these sources for when, or whether, it might be approved ^[1].

What happens next

The ADA's 2026 Scientific Sessions run June 5 through 8, 2026, in New Orleans ^[1]. The zenagamtide phase 2b poster is scheduled for Sunday, June 7, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. CDT, and the related animal study will be presented Monday, June 8, from 2:30 to 2:45 p.m. CDT ^[1]. Novo Nordisk will also host an investor event on the science presented at the conference on Sunday, June 7, which will be livestreamed on the company's investor website ^[1].