Analog comparison
Put a native hormone next to the analogs engineered from it — or compare any molecules in the catalog. The same receptor, a different half-life: see how protease resistance and acylation stretch a peptide’s duration from minutes to days while the underlying mechanism stays the same.
| Type | Endogenous | Analog | Analog | Analog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | Established | Established | Established | Established |
| Family | Incretins & metabolic | Incretins & metabolic | Incretins & metabolic | Incretins & metabolic |
| Class | Proglucagon-derived peptide (~30–31 aa) | GLP-1 receptor agonist (acylated peptide, 31 aa) | GLP-1 receptor agonist (acylated, 31 aa) | GLP-1 receptor agonist (exendin-4, 39 aa) |
| Receptor | GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R), a class B GPCR | GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) | GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) | GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) |
| Molecular weight | ~3,297.7 Da | ~4,113.6 Da | ~3,751.2 Da | ~4,186.6 Da |
| Half-life | ||||
| Based on | Native hormone | Glucagon-like peptide-1 | Glucagon-like peptide-1 | Glucagon-like peptide-1 |
Half-life bars are on a logarithmic scale across the molecules shown, so a minutes-long native peptide and a once-weekly analog stay legible together. Reference values for the native or representative form — educational only, not medical or dosing advice.
How to read a lineage
Most engineered peptides are not new mechanisms — they are durability solutions. An analog usually binds the same receptor as its native hormone; what changes is how long it survives in circulation. Native GLP-1 is cleared by DPP-4 in a minute or two, while its acylated analogs bind albumin and persist for days.
Reading left to right along a lineage, watch three columns: receptor (often identical — the mechanism is conserved), molecular weight (analogs are deliberately larger, carrying fatty-acid chains), and half-life (the payoff — the engineering target).
Want the dosing consequences of those half-lives? Each molecule links straight into the half-life & dosing calculator.
Reference-grade approximations for the native or representative form of each molecule. Engineered formulations (depots, extended-release) differ substantially. Educational only — not medical advice, dosing guidance, or a recommendation to use any substance.