Not all peptides are experimental. 38 peptides are FDA-approved prescription medicines, used every day for diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, and more. Here they are, grouped by what they treat and listed with their brand names. For the full picture including research compounds, see the A–Z list of all peptides.
The most clinically validated peptide drugs — GLP-1 and related incretin medicines for type 2 diabetes and obesity, plus insulin and other metabolic hormones.
| Peptide drug (generic) | Brand / other names | Approved / used for |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus | Type 2 diabetes; chronic weight management |
| Tirzepatide | Mounjaro, Zepbound | Type 2 diabetes; chronic weight management |
| Tesamorelin | Egrifta | HIV-associated lipodystrophy (excess abdominal fat) |
| Liraglutide | Victoza, Saxenda | Type 2 diabetes; chronic weight management |
| Setmelanotide | Imcivree | Obesity from POMC, PCSK1, LEPR deficiency & Bardet-Biedl syndrome |
| Exenatide | Byetta, Bydureon | Type 2 diabetes |
| Dulaglutide | Trulicity | Type 2 diabetes (with CV risk reduction) |
| Pramlintide | Symlin | Type 1 & type 2 diabetes (adjunct to insulin) |
| Lixisenatide | Adlyxin, Lyxumia | Type 2 diabetes |
| Glucagon | GlucaGen, Baqsimi, Gvoke | Severe hypoglycemia (emergency rescue) |
| Insulin | Humulin, Novolog, Lantus (analogs) | Type 1 and type 2 diabetes |
GnRH-system drugs used in prostate cancer, endometriosis, fibroids, fertility and precocious puberty, plus oxytocin and the sexual-desire drug bremelanotide.
| Peptide drug (generic) | Brand / other names | Approved / used for |
|---|---|---|
| PT-141 | Bremelanotide, Vyleesi | HSDD in premenopausal women |
| Gonadorelin | GnRH, Factrel, Lutrepulse | GH/gonadal-axis testing, pulsatile fertility therapy |
| Oxytocin | Pitocin (injectable) | Labor induction; postpartum bleeding |
| Leuprolide | Lupron, leuprorelin | Prostate cancer, endometriosis, fibroids, precocious puberty |
| Cetrorelix | Cetrotide | Preventing premature ovulation in assisted reproduction |
| Goserelin | Zoladex | Prostate cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis |
| Triptorelin | Trelstar, Decapeptyl | Prostate cancer; (abroad) precocious puberty, endometriosis |
| Nafarelin | Synarel | Endometriosis, central precocious puberty |
| Degarelix | Firmagon | Advanced prostate cancer |
| Histrelin | Supprelin LA, Vantas | Central precocious puberty; prostate cancer |
Somatostatin analogs for acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumors, and vasopressin analogs for diabetes insipidus, bleeding, and shock.
| Peptide drug (generic) | Brand / other names | Approved / used for |
|---|---|---|
| Octreotide | Sandostatin, Octreotide LAR | Acromegaly, carcinoid syndrome, VIPoma, variceal bleeding |
| Lanreotide | Somatuline, Somatuline Depot, Lanreotide Autogel | Acromegaly; gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors |
| Pasireotide | Signifor, Signifor LAR | Cushing's disease; acromegaly |
| Desmopressin | DDAVP, Desmopressin acetate, Stimate, Nocdurna | Central diabetes insipidus, nocturnal enuresis, hemophilia A / von Willebrand disease |
| Vasopressin | Antidiuretic hormone (ADH), Arginine vasopressin (AVP), Vasostrict, Pitressin | Vasodilatory / septic shock |
| Terlipressin | Terlivaz, Glypressin | Hepatorenal syndrome; variceal bleeding |
Bone-building osteoporosis drugs, gut-directed medicines for constipation and short bowel syndrome, and hormones such as calcitonin and secretin.
| Peptide drug (generic) | Brand / other names | Approved / used for |
|---|---|---|
| Teduglutide | Gattex, Revestive | Short bowel syndrome (dependence on IV nutrition) |
| Teriparatide | Forteo, PTH(1-34) | Osteoporosis at high fracture risk |
| Abaloparatide | Tymlos | Osteoporosis at high fracture risk |
| Linaclotide | Linzess, Constella | IBS-C and chronic idiopathic constipation |
| Plecanatide | Trulance | Chronic idiopathic constipation; IBS-C |
| Calcitonin | Salmon calcitonin, Miacalcin, Fortical | Osteoporosis, Paget's disease, hypercalcemia |
| Secretin | ChiRhoStim | Diagnostic pancreatic/gastrin testing |
Peptide immunomodulators for multiple sclerosis, hereditary angioedema, and HIV.
| Peptide drug (generic) | Brand / other names | Approved / used for |
|---|---|---|
| Icatibant | Firazyr | Acute hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks |
| Glatiramer Acetate | Copaxone | Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis |
| Enfuvirtide | Fuzeon, T-20 | HIV-1 infection (treatment-experienced) |
Melanocortin therapy for a rare inherited light-sensitivity disorder.
| Peptide drug (generic) | Brand / other names | Approved / used for |
|---|---|---|
| Afamelanotide | Melanotan I, Scenesse | Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) |
This list covers 38 FDA-approved peptide medicines — from insulin and the GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to somatostatin and vasopressin analogs. They span diabetes, obesity, cancer, osteoporosis, and rare disorders. Many more peptides are investigational or sold as unapproved "research chemicals"; see the full A–Z list of peptides.
Insulin is the oldest and one of the most widely used peptide drugs in the world, first used in 1921. Today the GLP-1 receptor agonists — semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) — are the most talked-about, used for type 2 diabetes and weight management.
No. The peptides on this list are FDA-approved, quality-controlled prescription medicines proven in clinical trials. Many peptides sold online are unapproved "research chemicals" that are not quality-assured and are often unproven in humans, even though both are technically peptides.
Approved peptide drugs treat a wide range of conditions: type 2 diabetes and obesity (GLP-1 drugs, insulin), prostate and breast cancer and endometriosis (GnRH drugs), osteoporosis (teriparatide, abaloparatide), acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumors (somatostatin analogs), and rarer disorders like hereditary angioedema and short bowel syndrome.