Visualise and compare how GLP-1 medications accumulate in the body over time. Plot plasma concentration-time profiles for injectable and oral agonists side by side, from once-weekly semaglutide to twice-daily exenatide and next-generation oral small molecules.
Elimination half-life determines dosing frequency and how long it takes to reach steady-state (~5 half-lives). Semaglutide's 7-day t½ enables once-weekly dosing; liraglutide's 13-hour t½ requires daily injections.
Long-acting drugs accumulate with each dose. Semaglutide SC reaches steady-state around week 5, meaning full therapeutic effect isn't achieved until then. This explains titration schedules , you start low and increase as the drug accumulates.
Oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) uses the same molecule as injectable semaglutide but achieves only ~1% bioavailability due to GI degradation, requiring much higher doses (3–14 mg vs. 0.5–2.4 mg SC) for equivalent effect. Novel small-molecule agonists like orforglipron bypass this limitation.
Educational use only. PK parameters are sourced from published clinical pharmacology data and FDA labeling but are simplified for visualisation. Actual plasma concentrations depend on dose, patient weight, renal function, injection technique, and other factors. This tool does not constitute medical advice. Always follow your prescriber's dosing instructions.