Research references
The studies behind the receptor register, with the clinical questions that give the targets meaning.
Reading list
The collection ranges from receptor structures and cell-signalling assays to randomised clinical trials. The retatrutide structures concern laboratory complexes; the weight, cardiovascular, kidney and fat-depot trials concern particular groups of people. I approach the list with those differences in mind.
The semaglutide entries include weight trials, a safety review, rodent appetite experiments and heart and kidney outcomes. Tirzepatide adds a clinical reference, a safety meta-analysis and separate diabetes and obesity studies. Retatrutide contributes structural work and investigational Phase 2 results. The tesamorelin group concentrates on HIV-associated lipodystrophy and human GH-axis physiology.
Titles, publication details, DOIs and PubMed identifiers are retained below. The compound pages return to the results in context. For an apparent mismatch between a claim and a source, the contact page gives the editorial address.
- Aronne LJ, et al. (SURMOUNT-5 Investigators). Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2025. ↗
- Perkovic V, et al. (FLOW Trial Committees and Investigators). Effects of Semaglutide on Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2024. ↗
- Lincoff AM, et al. (SELECT Trial Investigators). Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2023. ↗
- Wilding JPH, et al. (STEP 1 Study Group). Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2021. ↗
- Smits MM, Van Raalte DH. Safety of Semaglutide. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021. ↗
- Gabery S, et al. Semaglutide lowers body weight in rodents via distributed neural pathways. JCI Insight. 2020. ↗
- Marso SP, et al. (SUSTAIN-6 Investigators). Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2016. ↗
- Farzam K, Patel P. Tirzepatide (StatPearls). StatPearls [Internet], NCBI Bookshelf. 2024. ↗
- Zeng Q, et al. Safety issues of tirzepatide (pancreatitis and gallbladder or biliary disease) in type 2 diabetes and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023. ↗
- Jastreboff AM, et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2022. ↗
- Frias JP, et al. Tirzepatide versus Semaglutide Once Weekly in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2021. ↗
- Katsi V, Koutsopoulos G, Fragoulis C, Dimitriadis K, Tsioufis K. Retatrutide-A Game Changer in Obesity Pharmacotherapy. Biomolecules. 2025;15:796. ↗
- Li W, Zhou Q, Cong Z, Yuan Q, Li W, Zhao F, Xu HE, Zhao LH, Yang D, Wang MW. Structural insights into the triple agonism at GLP-1R, GIPR and GCGR manifested by retatrutide. Cell Discovery. 2024;10:77. ↗
- Sanyal AJ, Kaplan LM, Frias JP, Brouwers B, Wu Q, Thomas MK, Harris C, Schloot NC, Du Y, Mather KJ, Haupt A, Hartman ML. Triple hormone receptor agonist retatrutide for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a randomized phase 2a trial. Nature Medicine. 2024;30:2037-2048. ↗
- Jastreboff AM, et al. Triple-Hormone-Receptor Agonist Retatrutide for Obesity - A Phase 2 Trial. N Engl J Med. 2023;389(6):514-526. ↗
- Rosenstock J, et al. Retatrutide, a GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist, for people with type 2 diabetes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo and active-controlled, parallel-group, phase 2 trial. Lancet. 2023;402(10401):529-544. ↗
- Badran AS, et al. Body composition, hepatic fat, metabolic, and safety outcomes of Tesamorelin, a GHRH analogue, in HIV-associated lipodystrophy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. 2026;20(1):2-12. ↗
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (LiverTox). Tesamorelin - LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury. NCBI Bookshelf (NIH). 2018. ↗
- Stanley TL, Feldpausch MN, Oh J, Branch KL, Lee H, Torriani M, Grinspoon SK. Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2014;312(4):380-389. ↗
- Stanley TL, Chen CY, Branch KL, Makimura H, Grinspoon SK. Effects of a growth hormone-releasing hormone analog on endogenous GH pulsatility and insulin sensitivity in healthy men. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2011;96(1):150-158. ↗
- Falutz J, Allas S, Mamputu JC, Potvin D, Kotler D, Somero M, Berger D, Brown S, Richmond G, Fessel J, Turner R, Grinspoon S. Long-term safety and effects of tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing factor analogue, in HIV patients with abdominal fat accumulation. AIDS. 2008;22(14):1719-1728. ↗