Dulaglutide vs retatrutide: evidence, cost, and legality

Which is better, dulaglutide or retatrutide?

Retatrutide was clearly more effective than dulaglutide in the one direct trial, and its phase 3 program has since reported large weight loss. Dulaglutide is the only one of the two that can be prescribed, has five years of cardiovascular outcomes data, and is approved for children 10 and older. Until retatrutide is approved, the direct result matters for trial participants and for the future, not for a prescription today. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

How do dulaglutide and retatrutide compare?

Dulaglutide and Retatrutide compared by dimension
Dimension	Dulaglutide	Retatrutide
Head-to-head evidence [1]	Dulaglutide 1.5 mg: HbA1c minus 1.41 points at 24 weeks and weight minus 2.0% at 36 weeks.	Retatrutide: HbA1c minus 1.99 (8 mg slow escalation) and minus 2.02 (12 mg) at 24 weeks, both superior to dulaglutide; weight minus 16.8% to 16.9% at 36 weeks.
Note: Phase 2, 281 US adults with type 2 diabetes; gastrointestinal adverse events 35% on retatrutide overall and 35% on dulaglutide, ranging from 13% to 50% by retatrutide dose group.
Mechanism [1] [4]	Selective GLP-1 receptor agonist.	Triple agonist of the GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptors.
Phase 3 evidence [2] [3] [6] [7]	Large phase 3 program including AWARD-11 (higher doses) and REWIND (cardiovascular outcomes).	TRANSCEND-T2D-1 (537 adults, 40 weeks) versus placebo; TRIUMPH-2 in obesity with type 2 diabetes reported up to 20.8% weight loss and HbA1c reductions up to 1.6 points at 80 weeks (manufacturer topline).
Cardiovascular outcomes [2] [3] [4]	REWIND hazard ratio 0.88 for major adverse cardiovascular events; labeled indication.	No cardiovascular outcomes trial has reported. TRIUMPH-3 enrolled adults with established cardiovascular disease but measured weight loss (21.6% to 22.6%).
Regulatory status [4] [5]	FDA approved (Trulicity, 2014).	Investigational; not approved by any regulator and not eligible for compounding.
WADA status [8]	Not on the WADA Prohibited List.	Prohibited under section S0 (non-approved substances).
Dosing [4] [7]	Once weekly, 0.75 mg escalated up to 4.5 mg (label).	Once weekly, 4, 9, or 12 mg in phase 3 trials (no label).

Evidence grade and regulatory status

Pulled from each peptide’s own record, so it stays in step with the peptide pages.

Dulaglutide and Retatrutide: grade, status, and cost
Attribute	Dulaglutide	Retatrutide
Class	GLP-1 receptor agonist (two modified GLP-1 analogs fused to a human IgG4 Fc fragment, once weekly)	Investigational triple agonist of the GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptors (single acylated peptide, once weekly)
What it is	FDA approved weekly GLP-1 drug for type 2 diabetes that cut heart attacks, strokes, and heart deaths by 12% over 5.4 years in REWIND; not for weight loss.	Investigational triple agonist, nicknamed reta or GLP-3, with 24.2% weight loss at 48 weeks in phase 2 and 28.3% in a phase 3 topline; not FDA approved.
Evidence	Evidence: Human RCT evidence	Evidence: Human RCT evidence
FDA status	Regulatory: FDA approved	Regulatory: Not eligible for compounding
Compounding	FDA approved product (Trulicity, September 2014; 3.0 mg and 4.5 mg doses added in 2020; pediatric indication in 2022; cardiovascular risk reduction indication based on REWIND). Because dulaglutide is a component of an approved drug, 503A pharmacies may compound it only for a documented patient specific need and may not produce essentially a copy of the commercial product. Dulaglutide is not available in a bulk powder form suitable for compounding. FDA listed dulaglutide injection as in shortage in its October 2024 to February 2025 GLP-1 updates, with all presentations available; it is not listed in FDA's shortage database as of September 27, 2026.	Not FDA approved and not approved by any other regulator as of the last verification date. Because retatrutide is not a component of an approved drug, has no USP monograph, and is not on the 503A bulks list, it cannot lawfully be compounded by 503A pharmacies or 503B outsourcing facilities. FDA has warned that unapproved GLP-1 class products sold online, including investigational molecules, are not evaluated for safety, quality, or dose. Any product sold as retatrutide outside a clinical trial is unlawful for human use.
WADA	WADA: Not WADA prohibited	WADA: WADA prohibited
Routes	Subcutaneous injection once weekly (single dose pen)	Subcutaneous injection once weekly (clinical trials only)
Typical cost	Trulicity list price is 1,006.93 USD per month for four pens at any strength; the manufacturer's self-pay pharmacy sells it from 389 USD per month. With commercial insurance and a manufacturer savings card a covered prescription is often 25 USD per month. Medicare Part D covers it for type 2 diabetes. No generic is available as of the last verified date.	Not available through licensed channels. Products sold as research chemicals are not lawful for human use and are not verified for identity or purity.
Last verified	Sep 27, 2026	Sep 23, 2026

Has dulaglutide been tested directly against retatrutide?

Direct comparisons of Dulaglutide and Retatrutide
Study	Design and population	Outcome	Grade
Retatrutide, a GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist, for people with type 2 diabetes: a randomised, double-blind, placebo and active-controlled, parallel-group, phase 2 trial conducted in the USA2023 PMID 37385280	Randomized, double blind, placebo and active controlled phase 2 trial, 36 weeksn = 281 US adults with type 2 diabetes on diet and exercise or metformin, BMI 25 to 50	HbA1c at 24 weeks minus 2.02 (retatrutide 12 mg) versus minus 1.41 (dulaglutide 1.5 mg); weight at 36 weeks minus 16.94% versus minus 2.02%	Evidence: Human RCT evidence

What do dulaglutide and retatrutide cost?

Typical cost of Dulaglutide and Retatrutide
Dimension	Dulaglutide	Retatrutide
Typical cost	$389 to $1,007 per month	Not available through licensed channels. Products sold as research chemicals are not lawful for human use and are not verified for identity or purity.
Price detail	Dulaglutide price by channel	Retatrutide price by channel

Where a price index exists, the range is the cash price per month across branded, compounded, and telehealth channels, without insurance. The cost pages give each channel separately with its sources. Otherwise the typical cost from the peptide record is shown. Legal access depends on your state: see peptide legality by state.

Frequently asked questions

Did retatrutide beat dulaglutide?

Yes, in a 281 person phase 2 trial. Retatrutide 8 and 12 mg lowered HbA1c by about 2.0 points versus 1.41 with dulaglutide 1.5 mg at 24 weeks, and weight by about 17% versus 2.0% at 36 weeks. [1]

Is retatrutide available instead of dulaglutide?

No. Retatrutide is not approved by any regulator and cannot lawfully be compounded; it is only available in clinical trials. [5]

Were side effects different?

Gastrointestinal adverse events occurred in 35% of retatrutide and 35% of dulaglutide participants overall, but rose to 50% in the fastest retatrutide escalation group. [1]

Is either drug banned in sport?

Retatrutide is prohibited under WADA section S0 because it is not approved. Dulaglutide is not on the Prohibited List. [8]

Conditions studied

Sources

Numbered citations above point to these primary sources. PubMed entries link to the indexed abstract.

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Dulaglutide vs retatrutide

The short answer