Amylin
Also known as: IAPP, islet amyloid polypeptide
Amylin, co-secreted with insulin from pancreatic beta-cells, activates brainstem amylin receptors (calcitonin receptor paired with RAMPs) to promote satiation, slow gastric emptying, and suppress postprandial glucagon.
- Drug class
- Amylin receptor agonist (calcitonin peptide family hormone)
- Primary targets
- Amylin receptor AMY1 (CTR+RAMP1), Amylin receptor AMY2 (CTR+RAMP2), Amylin receptor AMY3 (CTR+RAMP3), Calcitonin receptor, Area postrema (brainstem)
- Dose reference
- No established dose for native amylin; it is an endogenous hormone, not a marketed consumer drug. Reference range applies only to the approved analog pramlintide (Symlin), dosed 15-120 mcg subcutaneously before meals per the FDA label (informational, not a recommendation).
- Half-life
- Native human amylin: approximately 13 minutes (short, rapidly degraded by insulin-degrading enzyme and renal clearance)
- Developer / origin
- Identified 1986-1987 by Per Westermark (Uppsala University) and Garth Cooper (University of Oxford)
- Reference year
- 1987
- Evidence score
- 3/5 - Mixed: strong physiology, analog-only human evidence
Mixed: strong physiology, analog-only human evidence
Amylin's physiology (satiation, slowed gastric emptying, glucagon suppression) and RAMP-based receptor pharmacology are well established in primary literature, but human therapeutic evidence comes from engineered analogs such as pramlintide, not native amylin, which aggregates into cytotoxic islet amyloid and has a ~13-minute half-life.
Limited human pharmacology or small clinical evidence.
Evidence basis
- Physiological Reviews and PMC mechanistic reviews document satiation, gastric emptying, and glucagon effects
- IUPHAR classification and RAMP studies map amylin receptors as calcitonin receptor + RAMP1/2/3
- FDA Symlin label establishes human evidence for the analog pramlintide, not native amylin
- Nature and PMC sources document amylin aggregation and beta-cell cytotoxicity
Key references
- Physiological ReviewsIslet Amyloid Polypeptide, Islet Amyloid, and Diabetes Mellitus
- PubMedInternational Union of Pharmacology XXXII: calcitonin, amylin, CGRP, adrenomedullin receptors
- FDASYMLIN (pramlintide acetate) Prescribing Information
- NaturePancreatic islet cell toxicity of amylin associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus
How to read this entry
Dose references and half-life values are pulled from trial protocols, labels, reviews, or published summaries where available. They are context for research and comparison, not a personal dosing recommendation.
Status matters: approved drugs have regulated indications; investigational compounds are still being studied; research-only peptides do not have established human dosing, safety, or efficacy for consumer use.
Amylin guides
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