GLP-2 (TZ)

In plain terms

GLP-2 (TZ) acts on two receptors rather than one. Studies in this class have looked at blood sugar control and gut tissue growth in laboratory and animal models.

Research overview

GLP-2 (TZ) is tirzepatide, which acts on both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. The research question it exists to answer is what the added GIP activity contributes on top of GLP-1 activity alone, and most published work sets it directly against single-receptor agonists in the same models.

What has been studied

1. 1

   Two receptors

   GLP-2 (TZ) acts on both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. The research question is what the added GIP activity contributes on top of GLP-1 activity alone.

2. 2

   Metabolic endpoints

   Animal and cell studies have measured glucose handling, insulin sensitivity and food intake.

3. 3

   Positioned between the classes

   It is routinely studied alongside both the single-receptor and triple-receptor compounds, which is why the three tend to be ordered together.

Research articles

• Mechanisms of action and therapeutic applications of GLP-1 and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonistsFrontiers in endocrinology · 2024
• LY3298176, a novel dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus: From discovery to clinical proof of conceptMolecular metabolism · 2018
• Efficacy and safety of a novel dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist tirzepatide in patients with type 2 diabetes (SURPASS-1): a double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trialLancet (London, England) · 2021
• Effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and co-agonists on body composition: Systematic review and network meta-analysisMetabolism: clinical and experimental · 2025