What does Pramlintide do? Benefits and evidence
A diabetes medicine that copies a hormone released with insulin; Symlin products are discontinued.
Also called: Symlin, SymlinPen, Pramlintide acetate, AC137, AC-0137, Tripro-amylin.
Amylin analogues · Short-acting amylin receptor agonist · Evidence: Approved drug.
Pramlintide copies the hormone amylin and is approved as Symlin for adults with diabetes using mealtime insulin. With insulin, it can cause severe low blood sugar. Trials show modest glucose and weight benefits. Its short action means weekly amylin schedules cannot be copied. FDA lists Symlin products as discontinued.
- Symlin is approved as an add-on for adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who use mealtime insulin and still miss their sugar goals. (Drug label)
- In trials, it modestly improved blood sugar and weight over one year. (Studied in a trial)
- In small studies, a single dose reduced meal size and how much people ate. (Studied in a trial)
- Some users report fewer blood sugar spikes after meals and needing less insulin. (Reported by users)
Uses in the sources
- Approved as an add-on for adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes using mealtime insulin when optimized insulin has not met blood sugar goals. (Drug label) (source)
- Studied for weight loss in obesity, alone and with other drugs. It has no FDA weight-loss indication. (Studied in a trial) (source)
- Three published cases describe pramlintide plus semaglutide or dulaglutide in type 1 diabetes and obesity. (Clinician-published) (source)
Related to Pramlintide
- Cagrilintide: An unapproved weekly amylin analogue with weight-loss trials and common stomach symptoms.
- CagriSema: An unapproved cagrilintide–semaglutide combination with phase 3 weight-loss and diabetes results.
- Semaglutide: A GLP-1 medicine with strong weight, glucose, heart and kidney evidence; dose and formulation matter.
- Dulaglutide: A weekly GLP-1 medicine approved for type 2 diabetes and lower heart-event risk.
Sources
- 21 CFR 216.23 — Bulk drug substances that can be used to compound drug products in accordance with section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act., Office of the Federal Register · eCFR · 2026
- 503B Bulk Drug Substances List, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Used in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Download medicine data, European Medicines Agency · European Medicines Agency · 2026
- MHRA Products | Home, MHRA · MHRA · 2026
- The 2026 Prohibited List, World Anti-Doping Agency · WADA · 2026
- Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—October 2026) Instrument 2026, Australian Government · Australian Government · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA · FDA · 2025
- Anaphylaxis, NHS · NHS · 2023
- Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), Therapeutic Goods Administration · TGA
- Drug Product Database: Access the database, Health Canada · Health Canada
- Drugs@FDA: SYMLIN, NDA 021332, FDA
- FD&C Act Provisions that Apply to Human Drug Compounding, FDA · FDA
Sources checked: 2026-10-18.
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