Analog comparison
Put a native hormone next to the analogs engineered from it — or compare any molecules in the catalog. The same receptor, a different half-life: see how protease resistance and acylation stretch a peptide’s duration from minutes to days while the underlying mechanism stays the same.
| Type | Endogenous | Research | Analog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | Established | Preclinical | Preclinical |
| Family | Growth & repair | Growth & repair | Growth & repair |
| Class | Single-chain growth factor (70 aa) | IGF-1 splice variant (IGF-1Ec); the research peptide is its C-terminal E-domain (~24 aa) | 83-aa IGF-1 analog (Arg³ substitution + 13-aa N-terminal extension) |
| Receptor | IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R, a receptor tyrosine kinase) | The IGF-1 core acts at IGF-1R; the distinct E-domain peptide's receptor is unidentified | IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), a receptor tyrosine kinase |
| Molecular weight | ~7,649 Da | — | ≈9,111 Da |
| Half-life | Minutes (E-domain peptide); longer as PEG-MGF | Hours — free of the IGFBP clearance that limits native IGF-1 to ~10 min | |
| Based on | Native hormone | Insulin-like growth factor 1 | Insulin-like growth factor 1 |
Half-life bars are on a logarithmic scale across the molecules shown, so a minutes-long native peptide and a once-weekly analog stay legible together. Reference values for the native or representative form — educational only, not medical or dosing advice.
How to read a lineage
Most engineered peptides are not new mechanisms — they are durability solutions. An analog usually binds the same receptor as its native hormone; what changes is how long it survives in circulation. Native GLP-1 is cleared by DPP-4 in a minute or two, while its acylated analogs bind albumin and persist for days.
Reading left to right along a lineage, watch three columns: receptor (often identical — the mechanism is conserved), molecular weight (analogs are deliberately larger, carrying fatty-acid chains), and half-life (the payoff — the engineering target).
Want the dosing consequences of those half-lives? Each molecule links straight into the half-life & dosing calculator.
Reference-grade approximations for the native or representative form of each molecule. Engineered formulations (depots, extended-release) differ substantially. Educational only — not medical advice, dosing guidance, or a recommendation to use any substance.