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CompoundingHHS lets 503A pharmacies compound six peptides under an interim enforcement discretion policyTrial resultRetatrutide beats Ozempic on blood sugar and weight in head-to-head TRANSCEND-T2D-2 trialFDA approvalFDA extends once-weekly insulin icodec (Awiqli) to children 10 and older with type 2 diabetesCompoundingCitizen petition asks FDA not to allow compounding of seven peptides reviewed by its advisory committeeTrial resultSurvodutide SYNCHRONIZE-2 phase 3 results in obesity with type 2 diabetes published in NEJMTrial resultEloraTZP (eloralintide plus tirzepatide) phase 2 results presented at EASD 2026Trial resultOrforglipron ACHIEVE-4 cardiovascular safety trial published in The LancetTrial resultFull TRIUMPH-2 retatrutide results published in The LancetFDA approvalFDA approves insulin efsitora alfa (Onswik), a once-weekly basal insulin for type 2 diabetesWADAWADA publishes 2027 Prohibited List, naming peptides as examples of non-approved substances
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Academy track 1

What peptides are

20 short lessons in 6 parts, about 2.1 hours in all. Level 1. Professional plan

This track is part of the Professional plan. Each lesson page below shows what it covers. New to the subject? Start with the free course New to Peptides.

Part 1: Building blocks

The 20 amino acids, side chains, L and D forms, the peptide bond.

  1. Twenty building blocks (6 min, free sample)
  2. Side chains give each amino acid a personality (6 min)
  3. Left hands and right hands (L and D forms) (6 min)
  4. The peptide bond (5 min)

Part 2: Peptide, protein or small molecule?

Where the lines are, including FDA's 40-amino-acid rule.

  1. A question of size (6 min)
  2. FDA's 40-amino-acid rule (7 min)
  3. Why the line matters, and some tricky cases (6 min)

Part 3: Shape and structure

Sequence, helices and sheets, folding, and why shape decides function.

  1. Four levels of structure (6 min)
  2. How chains fold, and what happens when they don't (6 min)
  3. Why shape decides function (7 min)

Part 4: How to read a peptide

Sequence, formula, molecular weight, CAS number, on real compound pages.

  1. Reading a sequence (7 min)
  2. Formula and molecular weight (6 min)
  3. CAS numbers and names (6 min)

Part 5: Peptides your body makes

Insulin, GLP-1, oxytocin, neuropeptides, antimicrobial peptides.

  1. The fuel hormones: insulin, glucagon and amylin (7 min)
  2. Gut signals: GLP-1 and the incretins (6 min)
  3. Peptides of the brain and nerves (6 min)
  4. Peptides that fight germs (6 min)

Part 6: History of peptide medicine

Insulin 1922, oxytocin synthesis (Nobel 1955), Merrifield (Nobel 1984), the GLP-1 era.

  1. Insulin, the first peptide medicine (6 min)
  2. Making peptides in the lab (6 min)
  3. Engineered microbes and the GLP-1 era (7 min)

See what the Professional plan includes, or try the Academy free first.

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