Tirzepatide Peptide 20mg Research Vial

What tirzepatide is

Tirzepatide is one long peptide chain that turns on two gut hormone receptors. Scientists call it a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist.

PubChem gives its formula as C225H348N48O68 with a mass of about 4813 g/mol. It is far larger than short peptides such as KPV or glutathione.

Sources: PubChem compound record: Tirzepatide (CID 166567236), US National Library of Medicine. Rosenstock J et al, Lancet, 2021.

What the trials looked at

SURPASS-1, reported in the Lancet in 2021, was a 40-week phase 3 trial. It enrolled adults whose type 2 diabetes was not controlled by diet and exercise alone. It compared tirzepatide with placebo on blood sugar measures and safety.

SURMOUNT-1, published in 2022, studied adults with obesity, or overweight plus a related health problem, without diabetes. It ran for 72 weeks and tracked body weight change and side effects.

These trials led to approvals in several countries, including Australia, for specific medical uses under a doctor's care.

Sources: Rosenstock J et al, Lancet, 2021. Jastreboff AM et al, Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-1), N Engl J Med, 2022. Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australian Product Information summary: Mounjaro (AusPMD). Eli Lilly, MOUNJARO (tirzepatide) US prescribing information, DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine.

How tirzepatide fits among incretin peptides

Incretins are gut hormones released after eating. GLP-1 and GIP are the two main ones, and drug research has spent years building longer lasting peptides that copy them.

Its phase 3 paper describes tirzepatide as a novel dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist. Retatrutide, also from Eli Lilly, later added glucagon receptor activity as a third target.

Sources: Rosenstock J et al, Lancet, 2021. Coskun T et al, Cell Metab, 2022.

Keeping the freeze-dried powder stable

A freeze-dried peptide keeps best in a tightly closed vial below -15 °C. Peptide suppliers say the dry form is the most stable one for long holding.

Open the vial only after it has warmed to room temperature. A cold vial opened in humid air collects condensation, and moisture cuts both peptide content and stability.

Peptide labs also advise against keeping any peptide in solution for long periods, and suggest dark or amber storage to limit light damage.

Sources: Bachem, Handling and storage guidelines for peptides, Knowledge Center. JPT Peptide Technologies, How to store peptides: best practices for researchers.