Survodutide: clinical evidence record
Also known as: BI 456906, Glucagon/GLP-1 receptor dual agonist
Oliver Mackman · Editorial director · Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937)
Last updated 2026-07-19
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AI-friendly summary · Survodutide
Boehringer Ingelheim investigational compound (BI 456906). Phase 2 dose-finding data in obesity (Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, 2024), type 2 diabetes (Diabetologia, 2024) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (New England Journal of Medicine, 2024) have been published, followed in 2026 by phase 3 results from the SYNCHRONIZE-1 obesity trial and the SYNCHRONIZE-MASLD trial. Gastrointestinal adverse events are the dominant tolerability signal reported across the phase 2 and phase 3 programme and were the main driver of dose reduction and withdrawal. Survodutide holds no marketing authorisation in the United Kingdom and is not licensed in any jurisdiction as at July 2026: outside a trial it is an unapproved investigational medicine. Material sold online under this name is unlicensed, unverified for identity and purity, and sits in the category covered by the MHRA seizure of unlicensed weight-loss medicines announced on 28 May 2026.
Mechanism of action
How Survodutide works
Acylated synthetic peptide acting as a dual agonist at the glucagon receptor and the GLP-1 receptor. The GLP-1 arm is associated with appetite and glycaemic effects and the glucagon arm with hepatic energy substrate handling and energy expenditure in published pharmacology. Structurally distinct from the triple agonist class in that it does not engage the GIP receptor.
Top peer-reviewed citations
Selection of the most-cited peer-reviewed literature on Survodutide. Where a verified PMID or DOI is shown, the citation links to the original record. Other citations list the title, authors, journal and year so the reader can locate the paper through the journal index or the PubMed search linked below. PeptideClear publishes editorial commentary, not clinical guidance.
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Glucagon and GLP-1 receptor dual agonist survodutide for obesity: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding phase 2 trial
le Roux CW, Steen O, Lucas KJ, et al.. The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology, 2024.
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Dose-response effects on HbA1c and bodyweight reduction of survodutide, a dual glucagon/GLP-1 receptor agonist, compared with placebo and open-label semaglutide in people with type 2 diabetes: a randomised clinical trial
Blüher M, Rosenstock J, Hoefler J, et al.. Diabetologia, 2024.
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A Phase 2 Randomized Trial of Survodutide in MASH and Fibrosis
Sanyal AJ, Bedossa P, Fraessdorf M, et al.. The New England journal of medicine, 2024.
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Survodutide for treatment of obesity: rationale and design of two randomized phase 3 clinical trials (SYNCHRONIZE-1 and -2)
Wharton S, le Roux CW, Kosiborod MN, et al.. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 2025.
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Survodutide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Adults with Obesity
le Roux CW, Wharton S, Startseva E, et al.. The New England journal of medicine, 2026.
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Survodutide in adults with obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: SYNCHRONIZE-MASLD, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial
Kaplan LM, Startseva E, le Roux CW, et al.. Nature medicine, 2026.
Full PubMed search: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=survodutide.
Registered clinical trials
As of 2026-07-13, no interventional trials for Survodutide are listed on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. This is itself informative: much of the Survodutide evidence base is preclinical, which is why the evidence grade above matters.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry, refreshed 2026-07-13. See the peptide clinical-trials tracker for the full picture across compounds.
UK regulatory status
Plain-English summary of where Survodutide sits under the four UK and international frameworks that govern peptide supply. Editorial commentary, not legal advice.
- Misuse of Drugs Act 1971: Not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
- Psychoactive Substances Act 2016: Not scheduled under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
- MHRA medicines classification: No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine.
- WADA Prohibited List: Not currently listed on the WADA Prohibited List.
Risks and unknowns
What the literature does not yet show about Survodutide
Known concerns
- Survodutide has been studied in randomised human trials, which is a materially stronger position than most compounds on this site. Trial populations, endpoints and durations are still narrower than everyday use, so results describe the trial, not every person.
- The body of published work on Survodutide is small, at 6 papers in our record. A thin literature means individual findings carry more weight than they should, and one contrary result can change the picture.
- There are no registered interventional clinical trials for Survodutide on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. Nobody is currently running the study that would answer the safety and efficacy questions.
- Survodutide holds no UK marketing authorisation, so nothing you can buy has been assessed by a regulator, released by batch, or dispensed by an accountable pharmacy. Purity, dose accuracy and sterility rest entirely on the seller's own documentation.
Open questions in the literature
- Long-term outcomes beyond the duration of the published trials are unknown, and the published trials are considerably shorter than the periods over which people actually use these compounds.
- Interactions between Survodutide and prescribed medicines are not systematically studied, which matters most for anyone already on treatment for a long-term condition.
- Effects on body composition, and whether any change is maintained after stopping, are among the least well characterised parts of the metabolic literature.
Regulatory note
No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine. Not currently listed on the WADA Prohibited List. The moment a UK seller or commentator makes a therapeutic claim, MHRA can treat the product as an unlicensed medicinal product.
Important: PeptideClear publishes encyclopedia commentary only and does not recommend human use. Speak to a UK-registered prescriber before any medical decision.
Related reading on PeptideClear
Frequently asked questions
What is the evidence level for Survodutide?
What is the UK regulatory status of Survodutide?
Has Survodutide been tested in human clinical trials?
Where can I read the source literature for Survodutide?
Last verified 2026-07-19. Editorial commentary, not legal or clinical advice. Citations without a linked identifier can be located through the PubMed search and the journal index.