Peptavlon
Evidence Grade C — Moderate human evidence. 4072 published studies, 2154 human. 6 registered clinical trials.
Pentagastrin (previously sold as Peptavlon) is a synthetic fragment of the gut hormone gastrin that was used to stimulate maximum stomach acid production for diagnostic testing. It has been withdrawn from most markets after being replaced by simpler blood tests and endoscopy. It is now primarily of historical interest.
4,072 published studies: 2154 human, 1855 animal, 252 in-vitro, 107 reviews
Pentagastrin was previously marketed as Peptavlon (Wyeth) for diagnostic gastric acid secretion testing. The pentagastrin stimulation test involved injection followed by nasogastric aspiration and measurement of acid output over one hour. It was discontinued from most markets in the early 2000s.
The test has been replaced by fasting serum gastrin levels, the secretin stimulation test, and endoscopy with biopsy. Pentagastrin is of historical significance in gastroenterology but has no current clinical role in routine practice.
Pentagastrin activates the same receptor as natural gastrin on stomach acid-producing cells (parietal cells), triggering maximum acid secretion. By measuring the volume and acidity of stomach contents after a pentagastrin injection, clinicians could assess the functional capacity of the stomach lining. The ratio of baseline to stimulated acid output helped diagnose conditions such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (a gastrin-producing tumour).
Research suggests pentagastrin served decades of clinical use as the standard diagnostic tool for measuring stomach acid production capacity. The pentagastrin stimulation test has been replaced by fasting serum gastrin levels, the secretin stimulation test, and endoscopy with biopsy — less invasive approaches that do not require nasogastric tube insertion. Pentagastrin retains some research relevance as a panic provocation agent in psychiatric studies and in medullary thyroid carcinoma screening (via stimulated calcitonin testing). No active development programmes exist.
A New Method for Determining Gastric Acid Output Using a Wireless Capsule
An Open, Randomized, Two Way Crossover Study Comparing the Effect of 20mg Esomeprazole Administered Orally and Intravenously as a 15 Minute Infusion on Basal and Pentagastrin-Stimulated Acid Output in Subjects With Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Open, Randomized, Two Way Crossover 40mg, Orally and Intravenously
Open, Randomized, Two Way Crossover Study Comparing the Effect of Esomeprazole Adminstered Orally and iv
Effect of Single Doses of YF476 on Stomach Acidity
Health Canada Market Authorisation
The information on this page is provided for educational and research reference purposes only. This is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions.
Exenatide was the first GLP-1 receptor agonist approved anywhere, reaching the market as Byetta in April 2005. The once-weekly formulation Bydureon followed in 2012. Clinical trials showed blood sugar reductions (HbA1c) of 1.6–1.9% and modest weight loss of 2–4 kg. The EXSCEL cardiovascular outcomes trial, involving over 14,700 patients, showed a trend toward cardiovascular benefit but narrowly missed statistical significance. While exenatide was groundbreaking as the first in its class, it has been largely overtaken by newer GLP-1 treatments that offer greater efficacy, less frequent dosing, and proven cardiovascular benefits. It remains available and in clinical use, particularly in combination products.
Lixisenatide was marketed as Adlyxin in the US (approved July 2016), though it has since been discontinued in the US market. The ELIXA cardiovascular trial, involving over 6,000 patients, was the first cardiovascular outcomes trial for any GLP-1 medication to report results. It showed a neutral cardiovascular profile — neither harmful nor beneficial — meeting safety requirements but not demonstrating the heart benefits later shown by semaglutide and liraglutide. Lixisenatide found its primary clinical role in combination with basal insulin, marketed as Soliqua (lixisenatide plus insulin glargine). This combination addresses both fasting blood sugar (via insulin) and post-meal spikes (via lixisenatide) in a single daily injection. As a standalone treatment, it has been largely superseded by more potent GLP-1 medications.
Pramlintide is marketed as Symlin (approved March 2005) and remains the only approved amylin-based treatment. It is used alongside mealtime insulin in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Clinical trials showed modest blood sugar improvements (HbA1c reductions of 0.2–0.6%) and approximately 2.3 kg of weight loss — less dramatic than GLP-1 treatments but meaningful as an add-on therapy. Symlin carries a boxed warning for severe hypoglycaemia, particularly when combined with insulin, and requires careful dose adjustment. Practical uptake has been limited by the need for separate injections at each meal alongside existing insulin injections. Despite its modest clinical impact, pramlintide remains the only medication that addresses the amylin deficiency in diabetes, filling a distinct biological role that GLP-1 treatments do not cover.
