Semaglutide vs Dulaglutide half-life
Semaglutide has an elimination half-life of about 6.9 days; Dulaglutide has about 4.7 days. Both are once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonists. Dulaglutide is fused to an antibody Fc fragment, while semaglutide relies on albumin binding to slow its clearance.
Side by side
| Semaglutide | Dulaglutide | |
|---|---|---|
| Half-life | 6.9 days (range 6–7 days) | 4.7 days |
| Route | SC weekly / oral daily | SC weekly |
| Category | GLP-1 & incretins | GLP-1 & incretins |
| Evidence | Clinical | Clinical |
| Remaining after 24 hours | 90.4% | 86.2% |
| Remaining after 7 days | 49.4% | 35.4% |
| ~97% cleared (5 half-lives) | 34.4 days | 23.3 days |
| Steady state (4-5 half-lives) | 27.5 days to 34.4 days | 18.7 days to 23.3 days |
Single-dose decay
Share of one dose remaining over time, assuming first-order elimination. Dashed lines mark each half-life.
Semaglutide (t½ 6.9 days) Dulaglutide (t½ 4.7 days)
Semaglutide: FDA label: elimination half-life of about 1 week. Dulaglutide: FDA label: about 4.7 days.
FAQ
Which lasts longer, Semaglutide or Dulaglutide?
Semaglutide lasts longer. Its half-life is about 6.9 days, versus 4.7 days for Dulaglutide, roughly 1.5 times longer.
How long do Semaglutide and Dulaglutide stay in your system?
With first-order elimination, about 97% of a single dose is cleared after five half-lives: roughly 34.4 days for Semaglutide and 23.3 days for Dulaglutide. Individual clearance varies.
How long until Semaglutide and Dulaglutide reach steady state?
With consistent repeated dosing, levels approach steady state after 4 to 5 half-lives: about 27.5 days to 34.4 days for Semaglutide, and 18.7 days to 23.3 days for Dulaglutide.
How reliable are these half-lives?
Semaglutide: Clinical evidence. Dulaglutide: Clinical evidence. Anecdotal values are community estimates and may be far off.