What is the cagrilintide peptide?
This cagrilintide dosing chart page starts with the compound itself. Cagrilintide is a long-acting analogue of amylin, a peptide hormone the pancreas releases alongside insulin. Novo Nordisk developed it as an investigational drug, and it has been studied both on its own and paired with semaglutide in a combination the company calls CagriSema. Its structure carries a fatty acid side chain, the same general approach used to extend the action of several modern peptide drugs. Eli Lilly’s eloralintide is another investigational amylin-based compound.
Online, “cagrilintide peptide” usually refers to research-labeled vials of freeze-dried powder, typically sold as 5 mg or 10 mg. Those vials are not the investigational product used in clinical trials, and nothing on this page describes what cagrilintide does in the body. What it does cover is the arithmetic: how the powder, the BAC water and a U-100 syringe relate to each other.
How much BAC water for a cagrilintide vial?
There is no single correct volume. The amount of bacteriostatic water you add only sets the concentration: less water gives a stronger solution and fewer units for the same amount, while more water gives a weaker solution and more units. The cagrilintide reconstitution chart below shows mcg per unit for the two common vial sizes across several water volumes.
| BAC water | 5 mg vial | 10 mg vial |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 50 mcg/unit 5 mg/mL | 100 mcg/unit 10 mg/mL |
| 2 mL | 25 mcg/unit 2.5 mg/mL | 50 mcg/unit 5 mg/mL |
| 3 mL | 16.67 mcg/unit 1.667 mg/mL | 33.33 mcg/unit 3.333 mg/mL |
| 4 mL | 12.5 mcg/unit 1.25 mg/mL | 25 mcg/unit 2.5 mg/mL |
Each cell shows mcg per unit on a U-100 syringe (100 units = 1 mL) and the resulting concentration.
Read across a row to compare vial sizes at the same water volume, or down a column to see how a cagrilintide 5mg reconstitution or cagrilintide 10mg reconstitution changes as water is added. Each cell is simply vial mg × 1,000 ÷ (water mL × 100). If you want the reasoning behind the ratio, the BAC water to peptide ratio guide walks through it step by step.
Worked example: cagrilintide dosing chart in units
Here is the same math applied to one vial. For example, if the amount you already have is 250 mcg and a 5 mg vial is mixed with 2 mL of BAC water:
The math: 5 mg ÷ 2 mL = 2.5 mg/mL (2,500 mcg/mL), which is 25 mcg per unit. 250 mcg ÷ 2,500 mcg/mL = 0.1 mL = 10 units on a U-100 syringe.
The steps never change. Divide the vial amount by the water volume to get the concentration. Divide the amount you have by that concentration to get mL. Multiply mL by 100 to get units on a U-100 syringe, because 100 units equal 1 mL. Keep the amount and the vial in the same unit before dividing: 1 mg is 1,000 mcg, and mixing the two is the most common source of a result that is off by a factor of a thousand.
The same approach works for the larger vial. For example, if the amount you already have is 500 mcg and a 10 mg vial is mixed with 2 mL:
The math: 10 mg ÷ 2 mL = 5 mg/mL (5,000 mcg/mL), which is 50 mcg per unit. 500 mcg ÷ 5,000 mcg/mL = 0.1 mL = 10 units on a U-100 syringe.
Cagrilintide dosage calculator: what the numbers mean
People searching for a cagrilintide dosage calculator or a cagrilintide dosing chart in units usually want to know how a figure they already have translates into marks on a syringe. That is exactly and only what this page does. The calculator above takes three inputs: the mg printed on the vial, the mL of BAC water, and the amount you enter. It returns a concentration, a volume and a U-100 unit mark.
It does not choose the amount, and it cannot tell you whether a number is appropriate, how often anything should be taken, or whether a product is what its label says. A cagrilintide dosing chart built this way is a conversion table, not a protocol. If a result looks strange, such as a fraction of a unit or more than a full syringe, the usual cause is a mix-up between mg and mcg; the guide to checking peptide calculator math shows how to catch it by hand.
Cagrilintide reconstitution notes from supplier labeling
Most research suppliers list bacteriostatic water as the diluent for cagrilintide vials, and some suppliers specify adding the water slowly down the inside wall of the vial and swirling gently rather than shaking. Some labels also give storage directions for the powder before mixing and for the solution afterward, often refrigeration once reconstituted. These are statements from product labeling, not instructions from this site; the product’s own label and a qualified professional take precedence over anything a calculator shows.
Two practical points affect the math. First, a multi-dose vial of BAC water, once punctured, should be dated and discarded within 28 days unless the manufacturer gives a different date, so the water volume you choose also decides how many mixes one vial of diluent can cover. Second, a chart assumes the vial contains exactly what the label states. The calculation cannot confirm identity, purity or content. For more on the diluent itself, see what bacteriostatic water is.
Is cagrilintide FDA-approved?
Cagrilintide is an investigational compound from Novo Nordisk and, at the time of writing, is not FDA-approved. Research-labeled vials sold online are not the product studied in clinical trials, and a correct calculation says nothing about their identity, purity, sterility or legality for any particular use. To compare other compound-labeled calculators, browse the peptide library.
Cagrilintide FAQ
How much BAC water do you add to a 5 mg cagrilintide vial?
There is no single required volume. The water only sets the concentration. The chart on this page shows mcg per unit for several volumes so you can see how each choice changes the syringe marks; follow the product labeling for the diluent and volume.
Is this a cagrilintide dosage calculator?
It converts an amount you already have into mL and U-100 syringe units for your vial and water volume. It does not recommend a dose, schedule or treatment.
What changes between a 5 mg and a 10 mg cagrilintide vial?
With the same water volume, the 10 mg vial is twice as concentrated, so the same amount takes half as many units. The chart shows both sizes side by side.
Is cagrilintide FDA-approved?
No. At the time of writing it is an investigational Novo Nordisk compound. Research-labeled vials sold online are not the investigational product used in clinical studies.
Can I use sterile water instead of BAC water for cagrilintide?
The calculator math is the same for any diluent volume, but the choice of diluent is set by the product labeling. Sterile water has no preservative and is single-dose, while BAC water contains benzyl alcohol for multiple-dose use.