Health Canada warns against unauthorized peptides; Nature GWAS links GLP1R variants to weight loss; Indian generic semaglutide surges past Mounjaro.
10 stories · Covering regulatory, research, industry, clinical-trials
Today's peptide landscape is dominated by safety warnings and the afterglow of Foundayo's FDA approval. Health Canada issued a major public advisory warning against unauthorized injectable peptides (BPC-157, CJC-1295, retatrutide), citing risks of organ damage and infections. UNSW researchers published a widely-covered analysis questioning the safety of injectable anti-aging peptides, noting the near-total lack of human clinical evidence. On the commercial front, India's GLP-1 market is seeing a dramatic shake-up as generic semaglutide eats into Mounjaro's dominance, and the global obesity pipeline has swelled to 80+ companies in clinical trials.
Health Canada issued a public advisory warning against unauthorized injectable peptide drugs sold online for weight loss, anti-aging, and bodybuilding. Seized products include BPC-157, CJC-1295, retatrutide, and others, with cited risks of liver/kidney damage, blood clots, and cancerous tumours.
Researchers from UNSW examine the booming trend of injectable peptides marketed for skin repair and anti-aging. They highlight the lack of human clinical evidence and note three people were fined for peptide injections that hospitalized two women at an anti-aging festival.
A large GWAS study published in Nature identified a missense variant in GLP1R predicting an additional 0.76 kg of weight loss per allele copy. GIPR variation was linked to nausea/vomiting side effects specific to tirzepatide users.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) Indian sales fell to ₹114 crore in March from ₹135 crore in February, while semaglutide sales rose to ₹59 crore. Semaglutide's GLP-1 segment share jumped to 33% from 25% as dozens of generics flood the market.
In-depth feature on peptide mania in wellness culture. HHS Secretary RFK Jr. wants to make unapproved wellness peptides more available to the public. The piece distinguishes FDA-regulated peptides from the largely untested 'wellness' peptides embraced by those mistrustful of mainstream medicine.
Research in JAMA Network Open shows semaglutide, tirzepatide, and bariatric surgery all produce substantial fat mass reduction but also cause reductions in lean mass over 24 months, highlighting the body composition tradeoff in GLP-1 treatment.
Over 80 pharmaceutical companies are running clinical trials in obesity. Boehringer Ingelheim is advancing survodutide into three global Phase III trials, positioning it as a key next-generation GLP-1 competitor.
An indirect comparison found oral semaglutide may produce greater weight loss than orforglipron, though head-to-head T2D data showed orforglipron had greater HbA1c reductions vs lower-dose oral semaglutide. Lack of CV outcomes data for orforglipron remains a key limitation.
Biopharma acquisitions surged in Q1 2026 with 14 deals over $500M. Eli Lilly earned $65.2 billion in 2025, roughly half from Mounjaro and Zepbound, fueling an industry-wide M&A wave.
Combining multiple peptides like GHK-Cu, BPC-157, and TB-500 is becoming a growing trend, especially among GLP-1 medication users dealing with skin laxity from rapid weight loss. Goop feature explores risks and benefits with dermatologist input.