What it means
Amylin is made by the same beta cells in the pancreas that make insulin, and the two are released together after you eat. Amylin acts on the brainstem to help you feel full, slows how fast food leaves the stomach and limits the rise in glucagon after meals.
People with type 1 diabetes make little or no amylin, and levels can be low in advanced type 2 diabetes. That led to pramlintide, an amylin copy approved for mealtime use with insulin.
Natural amylin breaks down quickly and tends to clump, so newer drugs are engineered to last longer. Cagrilintide is a weekly amylin analog, CagriSema pairs it with semaglutide, and amycretin activates amylin and GLP-1 receptors with one molecule.
Researchers are interested in amylin because it may reduce appetite through a partly different route than GLP-1.
Why it matters
Amylin is the hormone behind several of the most-watched weight-loss drugs in development.
Related terms
Sources
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