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The peer-reviewed clinical trials, regulatory guidance documents, and pharmacy standards underlying every clinical claim on GLP Agonists. 12 entries; every page on this site that makes a clinical claim links back to a primary source on this bibliography.

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All · Semaglutide · Tirzepatide · Orforglipron · Cardiovascular · Kidney · Sleep apnea · Heart failure
semaglutide efficacy · 2021

Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1)

Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2021

Pivotal Phase 3 trial of semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly in adults without diabetes. Mean weight loss of 14.9% over 68 weeks vs. 2.4% placebo. Established the efficacy basis for Wegovy's FDA approval.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
tirzepatide efficacy · 2022

Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity (SURMOUNT-1)

Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2022

Pivotal Phase 3 trial of tirzepatide in adults with obesity. Mean weight loss of 20.9% at 15 mg dose over 72 weeks vs. 3.1% placebo. Established efficacy basis for Zepbound.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
semaglutide cardiovascular · 2023

Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes (SELECT)

Lincoff AM, Brown-Frandsen K, Colhoun HM, et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2023

Cardiovascular outcomes trial in adults with overweight/obesity and pre-existing CV disease but without diabetes. Semaglutide 2.4 mg reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 20% vs. placebo over 39.8 months.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2307563
tirzepatide sleep apnea · 2024

Tirzepatide for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (SURMOUNT-OSA)

Malhotra A, Grunstein RR, Fietze I, et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2024

Phase 3 trial demonstrating that tirzepatide reduces apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) by 25-29 events/hour vs. 5-6 events/hour with placebo in adults with obesity and moderate-to-severe OSA. Basis for Zepbound's December 2024 OSA indication.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2404881
semaglutide heart failure · 2023

Semaglutide in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity (STEP-HFpEF)

Kosiborod MN, Abildstrøm SZ, Borlaug BA, et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2023

Semaglutide 2.4 mg improved symptoms and physical function in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and obesity.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2306963
semaglutide kidney disease · 2024

Semaglutide in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Type 2 Diabetes (FLOW)

Perkovic V, Tuttle KR, Rossing P, et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2024

Semaglutide reduced the risk of major kidney disease events by 24% in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2403347
semaglutide long-term · 2022

Two-Year Effects of Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 5)

Garvey WT, Batterham RL, Bhatta M, et al. · Nature Medicine · 2022

Two-year extension showing weight loss sustained at 15.2% with continued treatment. Demonstrated weight regain after discontinuation.

DOI: 10.1038/s41591-022-02026-4
semaglutide maintenance · 2021

Effect of Continued Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo on Weight Loss Maintenance (STEP 4)

Rubino D, Abrahamsson N, Davies M, et al. · JAMA · 2021

Demonstrated that continued semaglutide treatment maintains weight loss; switching to placebo results in significant regain.

DOI: 10.1001/jama.2021.3224
tirzepatide diabetes · 2021

Once-Weekly Tirzepatide versus Once-Daily Insulin Degludec as Add-on to Metformin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (SURPASS-3)

Ludvik B, Giorgino F, Jódar E, et al. · Lancet · 2021

Tirzepatide reduced HbA1c by ~2% and produced weight loss across all dose arms (5, 10, 15 mg) vs. weight gain with insulin degludec.

DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01443-4
orforglipron oral GLP-1 · 2026

Daily Oral GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Orforglipron for Adults with Obesity (ATTAIN-1)

Aronne LJ, Karpf D, Liao Y, et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2026

Phase 3 trial of oral non-peptide GLP-1 RA orforglipron. Demonstrated weight loss of ~13-15% over 72 weeks, approaching injectable GLP-1 efficacy without fasting requirements. Basis for Foundayo 2026 FDA approval.

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa-orforglipron-2026
compounding standards · 2023

USP General Chapter <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding — Sterile Preparations

United States Pharmacopeia · USP Compendium · 2023

The reference standard governing sterile compounding in U.S. pharmacies. Defines facility, personnel, and process requirements for low-, medium-, and high-risk sterile preparations.

DOI: USP.NF
FDA compounding guidance · 2025

FDA Clarifies Policies for Compounders as National GLP-1 Supply Begins to Stabilize

U.S. Food and Drug Administration · FDA Guidance · 2025

FDA guidance establishing enforcement-discretion end dates for compounded GLP-1: tirzepatide 503A Feb 18 2025 / 503B Mar 19 2025; semaglutide 503A Apr 22 2025 / 503B May 22 2025. Continued compounding now requires documented medical necessity.

DOI: FDA-2025-GLP1-Compounding

How we choose what to cite

Three classes of source make it into this bibliography:

  1. Phase 3 randomized controlled trials published in NEJM, JAMA, Lancet, BMJ, Nature Medicine, or Annals of Internal Medicine.
  2. FDA-issued documents: approval letters, guidance for industry, Drug Safety Communications, shortage-list status changes.
  3. USP General Chapters and other compendial standards governing pharmacy preparation.

We do not cite preprints, conference abstracts, manufacturer-sponsored white papers, or news-aggregator summaries as primary sources.