Reference
What is Tirzepatide?
Tirzepatide is a dual agonist: a single chain designed to act at two different receptors, GIP and GLP-1, rather than one. Its backbone is based on the GIP sequence rather than GLP-1, which is the less obvious of the two starting points.
Classification
| Type | Peptide |
| Family | Dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Origin | Developed by Eli Lilly |
| Supplied as | Lyophilised powder in a sealed vial |
Building one molecule to fit two receptors is harder than it sounds — the sequence has to satisfy both binding sites at once, and the compromises involved are why dual agonists took so much longer to produce than single ones. Like semaglutide it carries a fatty acid chain to extend its duration.
What this page does not cover
Nothing here describes what Tirzepatide does, what it is used for, or whether it is safe. We publish analytical results and ship parcels; we give no guidance on dosing, preparation or use, and that applies to our reference pages as much as to the product pages. The person to ask about any of that is a registered prescriber.
Related by family
Where it came from
Tirzepatide was the first single peptide chain designed to act at two different incretin receptors — and it is built on the GIP sequence, not the GLP-1 one.
First described 2018; approved 2022 — Indianapolis, United States. When was tirzepatide created?
Further reading
Retatrutide vs tirzepatide vs semaglutide — one, two or three receptors, and how the three molecules differ in length, origin and status.
More on Tirzepatide
See Tirzepatide in the range · What is a peptide? · Discovery timeline · All reference
