Amylin, a neuroendocrine hormone co-secreted with insulin from beta cells in the pancreas, is one of the latest peptides to be used to manage glycemia and body weight. A short-acting amylin analog has been used for two decades as an add-on to insulin for individuals living with diabetes and advanced beta cell dysfunction. Current trials are exploring long-acting amylin receptor agonists as mono and combination therapy for type 2 diabetes, weight management, and other clinical outcomes.
“We know from REDEFINE that if you add amylin to semaglutide, you get more weight loss without worsening of symptoms,” said W. Timothy Garvey, MD, Professor of Nutrition Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Director of the UAB Diabetes Research Center. “Amylin is a nutrient-stimulated hormone that goes to the brain to inhibit appetite. But it is much better tolerated than GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1-based medications) with much lower incidences of nausea and vomiting.”
Dr. Garvey will chair the symposium Amylin as a Novel Diabetes and Obesity Therapy on Friday, June 5 from 3:45–5:15 p.m. in Great Hall A of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. On-demand access to recorded presentations will be available to registered participants following the conclusion of the 2026 Scientific Sessions, from June 10–August 10.
He noted that the diabetes community has been mesmerized by the promise of GLP-1s, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptides (GIPs), and other incretins, even as other approaches move through clinical trials. Multiple long-acting amylin analogs are actively being investigated in phase 1–3 trials as both standalone mono-agonists and in combination with agonists for other nutrient-stimulated hormone receptors. Dr. Garvey said that a key purpose of the symposium is to better acquaint the 2026 Scientific Sessions audience with this new mechanism of action for an obesity medication and to understand its future potential.
“We will need to understand whether there are specific advantages or disadvantages compared to incretin-based therapies, and if people who don’t react well to incretins react better to amylin analogs or vice versa,” said Thomas Alexander Lutz, DVM, PhD, Professor in Veterinary Physiology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. “I will be talking about the physiology of amylin, receptor characteristics, and what we know about brain activity of amylin agonists. There are differences among amylin agonists in terms of side effects, which is probably linked to how they interact with receptors.”
Amylin is particularly attractive for glycemic management and weight loss because it has a different origin than GLP-1 and other incretins and a different mechanism of action. GLP-1, GIP, and other incretins are endocrine hormones that originate from the gut, while amylin originates in the pancreas and has peripheral effects that differ from those of GLP-1 and GIP.
“Gut hormones are there to protect us from diarrhea, to feel satiated so you stop eating whatever caused the diarrhea, and slow gut emptying to protect from dehydration,” said Carel le Roux, MBChB, FRCP, FRCPath, PhD, Professor and Director of the Metabolic Medicine Group at University College Dublin, Ireland. “Amylin is there to moderate blood glucose levels. When you eat, it slows gut emptying so you don’t over-release insulin. It helps you feel satiated so you don’t overeat, and it blocks glucagon so you don’t have dysregulation. Amylin opens up another channel into the part of the brain that has the disease of obesity.”
Incretin-based therapy is increasingly successful, Dr. le Roux continued, whether with GLP-1 monotherapy or in combination with GIPs, glucagon, or other agents. That success has spurred what some observers have called a weight-loss Olympics. Weight-loss goals have climbed from 10% to higher than 30% in some cases. Despite their effectiveness, GLP-1-based medications are often not well-tolerated.
“Half the people on GLP-1 drugs stop the drug within six months,” Dr. le Roux said. “A huge number of those—30% at our center—say they stopped because of side effects. With a drug like amylin, which can have almost placebo-like side effects, you have the ability to sustain control. We think the battleground is going to shift from efficacy to tolerability, because amylin is a drug that is effective and a drug people can tolerate. A 10% weight loss that is sustained is far superior to a 20% weight loss that is regained.”
Register Today for the 2026 Scientific Sessions
Register to join us in New Orleans June 5–8 to learn about the latest advances in diabetes research, prevention, and care. After the meeting, registered participants will have on-demand access to recorded presentations.
