Weekly roundup

This Week in Peptide Research: Oct 19, 2026

Published October 19, 2026 · 3 min read

1. HHS and FDA send an interim peptide compounding policy for White House review

An "Interim Access Policy for Compounding Using Certain Peptides" was submitted for review on October 14 or 15, 2026 (two sources give different days). The likeliest form is enforcement discretion, which would not approve any product, would not cover research-use-only or supplement channels, and could be withdrawn without rulemaking. The policy text was not public. Separately, FDA's compounding advisory committee voted in July to recommend six peptides (BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, MOTS-c, Epitalon, Semax) for the 503A bulks list and not to recommend emideltide; the votes are advisory and nothing has been added to the list. A second committee meeting on five more peptides is expected by the end of February 2027. Sources: Holland & Knight; American Med Spa Association. Background: our explainer.

2. TRIUMPH-2 presented at EASD (sponsor announcement)

Lilly's preview release (Sept 15) said Phase 3 TRIUMPH-2 results, in adults with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes, would be presented September 30 at EASD in Milan, with weight reductions of up to an average of 22.5 kg (20.8%) and A1C reductions of up to 1.6% at 80 weeks. These are sponsor figures, not peer-reviewed. Source: Lilly. See our TRIUMPH-2/3 article.

3. EloraTZP phase 2b (eloralintide + tirzepatide), 48 weeks (sponsor announcement)

In 367 adults with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes (NCT06603571), mean weight loss was 23.3% with the top combination, versus 14.8% with tirzepatide 15 mg alone and 12.3% with eloralintide alone; A1C fell 2.9, 2.4 and 1.4 points. Discontinuation for adverse events ranged 10.8%-27.0% across combination arms versus 2.9% with tirzepatide and 16.7% with placebo. Efficacy estimand, one phase 2b trial; not a head-to-head with retatrutide. Sources: HCPLive; Clinical Trials Arena.

4. ACHIEVE-4: oral orforglipron (Foundayo) vs insulin glargine (sponsor announcement)

Non-inferiority to insulin glargine was reported in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity or overweight at increased cardiovascular risk. MACE-4 hazard ratio 0.84 (95% CI 0.59-1.20); MACE-3 hazard ratio 0.77 (95% CI 0.52-1.13). Both intervals include 1, so the cardiovascular reduction is not statistically conclusive. Source: Lilly. A useful example for reading confidence intervals.

5. Poison-center exposure counts for retatrutide products rise; FDA reports unverified

America's Poison Centers logged 862 retatrutide exposures in the three months ending September, versus 460 in the prior three months and 249 in the first three months of 2026. Two FDA adverse event reports linked to unverified products were described by CBS, which could not verify them; no laboratory analysis of the products was reported. Source: CBS News. Context: What FDA Adverse Event Reports Can and Can't Show.

Related reading

• HHS Peptide Interim Access Policy
• Retatrutide TRIUMPH-2 and TRIUMPH-3
• How to Read a Clinical Trial Result
• Glossary

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