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World J Pharmacol. Jan 19, 2026; 15(1): 113080
Published online Jan 19, 2026. doi: 10.5497/wjp.v15.i1.113080
Mazdutide: An emerging glucagon/GCG-like peptide-1 dual receptor agonist for obesity—a comparison of therapeutic effects and potential side effects with GCG-like peptide-1 inhibitors
Chen-Xi Deng, Zi-Ming Chen, Ying-Xuan Tang, Zhe-Xing Xi, Shuai-Yan Wang, Hai-Yan Wu, Bin Xu, Tian-Cheng Xu
Chen-Xi Deng, Zi-Ming Chen, Ying-Xuan Tang, Zhe-Xing Xi, Shuai-Yan Wang, Hai-Yan Wu, Bin Xu, Tian-Cheng Xu, Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China
Co-first authors: Chen-Xi Deng and Zi-Ming Chen.
Co-corresponding authors: Bin Xu and Tian-Cheng Xu.
Author contributions: Deng CX and Chen ZM conceptualized and designed this review; Deng CX, Chen ZM, Tang YX, Xi ZX, Wang SY, and Wu HY wrote the first draft of the manuscript; all authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript. Deng CX was responsible for the core conceptualization and overall framework, while Chen ZM was responsible for the creation of figures in the initial draft. Both authors contributed significantly to the writing of the core content of the manuscript and coordinated the writing process, making essential and irreplaceable contributions to the completion of the project, and thus qualified as the co-first authors of the paper. Xu B and Xu TC served as the co-corresponding authors, playing key roles in quality control, academic depth enhancement, and final manuscript coordination. Xu B applied for and secured funding for the research project, playing a crucial role in the overall design and quality control, ensuring the academic value and publication quality of the review. Xu TC focused on the academic depth and content rigor of the review, assuming key responsibilities for academic oversight, coordinating feedback from all authors on revised versions, leading responses to reviewer comments during the submission process, and guiding further improvements to the manuscript, ensuring the academic quality and publication standards of the review.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Youth Science Fund Project, No. 82305376; the Youth Talent Support Project of the China Acupuncture and Moxibustion Association, No. 2024-2026ZGZJXH-QNRC005; the 2024 Jiangsu Province Youth Science and Technology Talent Support Project, No. JSTJ-2024-380; 2025 Jiangsu Provincial Science and Technology Think Tank Program Project, No. JSKX0125035; and the National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program, No. 202410315020Z.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest associated with the publication of this manuscript.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Tian-Cheng Xu, MD, PhD, Professor, Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 138 Xianlin Avenue, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu Province, China. xtc@njucm.edu.cn
Received: August 14, 2025
Revised: September 5, 2025
Accepted: December 17, 2025
Published online: January 19, 2026
Processing time: 154 Days and 5.2 Hours
Abstract

Obesity has emerged as a global health crisis, necessitating effective therapeutic options. The “GLORY-1” study evaluated the efficacy and safety of mazdutide, a dual receptor agonist targeting glucagon (GCG) and GCG-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). As the first GLP-1/GCG dual-receptor agonist to successfully complete phase 3 trials, this drug marks a significant advancement in innovative drug discovery for endocrine and metabolic diseases in China. Unlike conventional GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) single-target drugs, mazdutide activates both GCG receptor (GCGR) and GLP-1R simultaneously, enhancing fat oxidation and offering substantial benefits for weight reduction and comprehensive metabolic regulation. In terms of safety, mazdutide exhibits an overall safety profile comparable to existing GLP-1R agonists, with adverse events primarily involving mild to moderate gastrointestinal disturbances. Notably, GLP-1R inhibitors exhibit significantly fewer side effects than agonists, suggesting potential for long-term safety in mazdutide combination therapies. In conclusion, the GLORY-1 study underscores mazdutide’s promise as an effective obesity treatment. This review systematically investigates the therapeutic potential of mazdutide by examining its pharmacological mechanisms, clinical trial design, and safety considerations. Furthermore, it offers an initial evaluation of the prospects for combining mazdutide with GLP-1R inhibitors. These insights present new avenues for personalized obesity treatment and aim to enhance its clinical application.

Keywords: Obesity; Glucagon receptor; Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor; Mazdutide; GLORY-1 study

Core Tip: Mazdutide has breakthrough value in terms of weight loss and metabolic regulation. Future research needs to further investigate its specific mechanisms to promote clinical translation.