What's on the label is the measured result — net peptide mass, not gross powder weight, plus RP-HPLC purity, on a lot-numbered COA for every batch.
Net peptide mass and RP-HPLC purity — a lot-numbered COA for every batch.
Net peptide mass + HPLC purity, per lot.
PCAC will review 7 peptides for the 503A bulks list, BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, MOTS-c, Emideltide, Semax, Epitalon. Read our briefing →
PCAC will review 7 peptides for the 503A bulks list. Read →
FDA PCAC reviews 7 peptides in July. Read →
GLP-1 receptor agonist (long-acting)
PeptideXpo buyer fit
This PeptideXpo page is intentionally positioned for distributors, OEM buyers, and procurement teams comparing Liraglutide inside a wider peptide catalog. It is not trying to be the deepest single-molecule monograph; the differentiated intent is assortment planning, export-ready documentation, fill-size comparison, and whether this SKU belongs in a broader buyer program.
Overview
Liraglutide is a 31-amino-acid synthetic GLP-1 receptor agonist and the predecessor molecule that established the lipidation-based half-life-extension strategy later applied to Semaglutide and Tirzepatide. The molecule carries a single C16 palmitic-acid moiety attached via a glutamic-acid spacer (γGlu) to Lys26, plus an Arg34-for-Lys34 substitution to prevent off-target lipidation during synthesis. The C16 fatty acid drives reversible albumin binding that extends plasma half-life from minutes (native GLP-1) to roughly 13 hours, supporting once-daily subcutaneous dosing rather than the once-weekly profiles achieved by the longer C18/C20-modified successors. Liraglutide is the basis of approved finished drugs Victoza (type 2 diabetes, 2010 FDA approval) and Saxenda (chronic weight management, 2014 FDA approval). PeptideXpo supplies Liraglutide acetate as a lyophilized powder at ≥99.0% HPLC purity. The analytical packet covers peak-integration HPLC, ESI mass spec confirming the lipidated mass (theoretical 3751.20 g/mol average), water content by Karl Fischer, and counter-ion. Sequence verification by LC-MS/MS is available on request, recommended at first-time supplier qualification because the 31-residue sequence with lipidation modification places the molecule at the more demanding end of routine SPPS. Three standard fill sizes (5, 10, 30 mg) cover research aliquot scales and compounding-pharmacy dispensing workflows; sterile-filled vials and custom OEM fills are available through the OEM service. See our [GLP-1 class comparison article](/insights/glp-1-class-comparison-tirzepatide-retatrutide-mazdutide-survodutide) for the broader pharmacology context across the GLP-1 family.
Who buys this, and why
Most buyers in this category are 503A and 503B compounding pharmacies fulfilling metabolic and weight-management protocols, plus research labs investigating GLP-1 / GIP / GCG receptor pharmacology. The procurement decision usually hinges on three things: documented purity at scale, a regulatory team that can respond on destination-market questions in writing, and the ability to supply consistent counter-ion form (acetate by default) across recurring orders.
Primary buyer fit: 503A / 503B compounding pharmacies and academic and contract research laboratories.
Specifications
Documentation available on request
Regulatory note
Finished Liraglutide drug products (Victoza for type 2 diabetes, Saxenda for chronic weight management) are approved by FDA, EMA, and other major regulators. The bulk active itself is not on the 503A bulks list; compounding eligibility depends on the destination market's current shortage / regulatory posture, which buyers are responsible for verifying at the time of dispense.
Frequently asked questions
All three peptides use the same general strategy, fatty-acid conjugation that drives reversible albumin binding to extend plasma half-life, but with different fatty-acid chain lengths. Liraglutide uses a C16 (palmitic) fatty acid attached via a single γGlu spacer, producing roughly 13-hour half-life appropriate for once-daily dosing. Semaglutide uses a C18 diacid with a longer γGlu-2xOEG linker, extending half-life to roughly a week. Tirzepatide uses a C20 diacid with similar linker chemistry, also supporting weekly dosing. The progression from C16 to C20 represents the iterative optimization of the lipidation strategy across roughly two decades of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly development.
Liraglutide was first approved by the FDA in January 2010 as Victoza for type 2 diabetes management, becoming one of the first commercially successful GLP-1 receptor agonists. A second indication followed in December 2014, when the same molecule was approved at a higher dose under the brand name Saxenda for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related comorbidity. A pediatric weight-management approval extended Saxenda's label to ages 12-17 in 2020. The bulk active PeptideXpo supplies corresponds to the same molecule as both branded finished products.
Native GLP-1(7-37) is a 31-amino-acid peptide with theoretical MW ≈3355 g/mol. Liraglutide is the same 31-residue backbone with one substitution (Arg34) and one lipid modification (γGlu-palmitoyl at Lys26), bringing the MW to ≈3751.20 g/mol, a +396 Da shift relative to unmodified GLP-1. ESI mass spec at the lipidated mass is the diagnostic identity check; if the released material's dominant species is at the unmodified GLP-1 mass, the lipidation step has not completed and the material lacks Liraglutide's defining pharmacology. PeptideXpo's standard release packet includes the mass spec confirmation at the lipidated mass.
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