Reference

Compare peptides

Two to four compounds, field by field: identity, United States regulatory status, and what kinds of documents are on file. The table records differences. It does not rank them.

Compound 1

Compound 2

Compound 3 (optional)

Compound 4 (optional)

No winner, no score, no recommendation. Counts describe how many documents of each kind Therapept has indexed — not how well a compound works, and not how much has been published overall.

Link to this comparison: /compare?peptides=clascoterone,semaglutide,tirzepatide

Side-by-side comparison of Clascoterone, Semaglutide, Tirzepatide
Identity
	Clascoterone	Semaglutide	Tirzepatide
Class	Topical androgen-receptor inhibitor (cortexolone 17α-propionate), supplied as a 1% cream	GLP-1 receptor agonist (acylated GLP-1 analogue)	Dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist
Also listed as	Winlevi, CB-03-01, Cortexolone 17α-propionate, Breezula	Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, NN9535	Mounjaro, Zepbound, LY3298176
Molecular formula	C24H34O5	C187H291N45O59	C225H348N48O68
Molecular weight	402.5 g/mol	4114 g/mol	4813.53 Da (FDA label); 4813 g/mol (PubChem)
CAS	Not recorded	910463-68-2	2023788-19-2
PubChem CID	Not recorded	56843331	156588324
Sequence length	Not recorded	Described structurally, not as a residue list	Described structurally, not as a residue list
Data caveat	None recorded	None recorded	PubChem carries several duplicate deposits named “Tirzepatide” with identical CAS and formula. Full caveat
United States regulatory status
Status	FDA-approved drug substance	FDA-approved drug substance	FDA-approved drug substance
FDA application	NDA 213433 (WINLEVI) — approved 26 August 2020	NDA 209637 (Ozempic), NDA 213051 (Rybelsus), NDA 215256 (Wegovy)	NDA 215866 (Mounjaro), NDA 217806 (Zepbound)
Compounding	No FDA compounding entry recorded	Subject of FDA communications on GLP-1 compounding following resolution of the shortage.	Subject of FDA communications on GLP-1 compounding following resolution of the shortage.
WADA	Not named in this record	Not named in this record	Not named in this record
Research profile
Research purpose	Topical androgen-receptor inhibition for AGA	Glycaemic control and chronic weight management	Dual-incretin glycaemic and weight management
Proposed mechanism	Blocks androgen receptors in the skin. The hair-loss hypothesis is that local blockade reduces follicular androgen signalling. The acne approval does not establish a hair-growth mechanism.	Mimics the gut hormone GLP-1 at its receptor, increasing glucose-dependent insulin release, slowing stomach emptying and reducing appetite signalling in the hypothalamus.	Activates both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. GLP-1 contributes appetite suppression and slowed gastric emptying; GIP contributes insulinotropic and adipose effects that are still being characterised.
Human evidence	A Phase 3, vehicle-controlled trial in men with androgenetic alopecia completed in January 2026. No peer-reviewed hair-loss results were indexed at this review.	Multiple randomised controlled trials and cardiovascular outcome trials support the approved indications. This is approved-drug evidence, not research-chemical evidence.	Large randomised Phase 3 programmes (SURPASS and SURMOUNT) underpin two approved indications.
Evidence tier	Phase 3 trials registered or reported	Approved drug product in the United States	Approved drug product in the United States
Known safety concerns	The acne label lists local skin reactions; the product is applied to the skin, not injected. Systemic androgen suppression is a theoretical concern with any topical antiandrogen; the hair-loss trial was designed to measure it. Hair-loss safety data are not available here as a peer-reviewed report.	Gastrointestinal adverse effects are common and are described in the approved labelling. The label carries warnings and contraindications, including a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2. Rapid weight loss can be accompanied by loss of lean mass; the label and clinical follow-up address this, not a supplement claim.	Gastrointestinal adverse effects are common in the trials and labelling. The label carries warnings and contraindications, including thyroid C-cell tumour contraindications. Gallbladder and pancreatic events are described in the labelling as warnings; this is not a complete safety profile.
Evidence gaps	Peer-reviewed Phase 3 efficacy and safety results in androgenetic alopecia. Whether scalp androgen blockade produces hair benefit without meaningful systemic effects. Long-term safety and durability.	Long-term outcomes beyond the trial programmes, including weight regain after stopping, are incompletely characterised. Whether any incretin directly causes or worsens hair shedding is not established by controlled evidence indexed here.	Long-term cardiovascular outcome data continue to accrue and differ by population. The relative contribution of GIP versus GLP-1 to weight loss in humans is not fully resolved.
Head-to-head evidence	No published head-to-head trial against finasteride, minoxidil or pyrilutamide.	Tirzepatide has been compared with semaglutide 1 mg in the SURPASS programme. No published head-to-head trial against retatrutide exists.	Tirzepatide has been compared directly with semaglutide 1 mg in SURPASS trials. No head-to-head against retatrutide is published.
Named pathways	Androgen receptor · DHT signalling · Follicular miniaturisation	GLP-1 receptor · Gastric emptying · Hypothalamic appetite signalling · Insulin secretion	GIP receptor · GLP-1 receptor · Gastric emptying · Hypothalamic appetite signalling · Insulin secretion
Evidence on file
Records	2Open evidence file	4Open evidence file	3Open evidence file
Human-interventional records	1	2	2
Human-observational records	0	0	0
Animal records	0	0	0
In-vitro records	0	0	0
Reviews	0	0	0
Regulatory documents	1	2	1
Earliest indexed	2022	2016	2021
Latest indexed	2026	2026	2023

Every identity and regulatory value above is taken from the compound’s record, where its sources are listed. Evidence counts are derived from the published evidence file at build time. A missing class means no document of that kind is indexed — not that none exists.

Overlapping pathways

Named in the mechanism discussion for at least two of these compounds: Gastric emptying · GLP-1 receptor · Hypothalamic appetite signalling · Insulin secretion.

Shared biology is not shared evidence. No claim of synergy is made here, and overlapping pathways do not mean the compounds have been studied together.