Albiglutide (brand name Tanzeum in the US, Eperzan in Europe) was a once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist consisting of two copies of a modified GLP-1 sequence fused to human albumin (MW ~72,970 g/mol). Developed by GlaxoSmithKline, it was FDA-approved in April 2014 for type 2 diabetes. GSK voluntarily withdrew Tanzeum from the market in July 2018 for commercial reasons (low market uptake), not due to safety concerns. The HARMONY Outcomes trial subsequently demonstrated cardiovascular benefit.
Category: Metabolic / GLP-1 Agonist. Evidence rating: A (strong human clinical data).
Clinical status: Previously FDA-approved (Tanzeum for T2D, April 2014). Voluntarily withdrawn from market July 2018 (commercial reasons, not safety).
Albiglutide is a recombinant fusion protein consisting of two tandem copies of a modified human GLP-1(7-36) sequence (with an Ala8Gly substitution for DPP-4 resistance) genetically fused to human albumin. The albumin moiety provides an extended half-life of approximately 5 days through reduced…
Safety considerations: Common: injection site reactions (12-18% including erythema, itching, rash, and nodules), nausea (11%), diarrhea (13%), upper respiratory infection; Injection site reactions were more common than other GLP-1 agonists, likely due to the requirement for reconstitution and larger injection volume; Lower nausea rates (11%) compared to many GLP-1 agonists.
Reviewed by the PeptideAtlas Editorial Team. Last reviewed: 2026-08-12.
Related peptides: Semaglutide, Liraglutide, Exenatide.
Compare: Albiglutide vs Semaglutide, Albiglutide vs Liraglutide, Albiglutide vs Exenatide.
GlaxoSmithKline voluntarily withdrew Tanzeum/Eperzan from the market in July 2018 purely for commercial reasons — low market uptake in a competitive GLP-1 agonist market. The withdrawal was not due to any safety signal. Ironically, the HARMONY Outcomes cardiovascular benefit data was published after withdrawal.
Yes. HARMONY Outcomes (n=9463) demonstrated a significant 22% reduction in MACE events. This is one of the strongest CV benefit signals among GLP-1 agonists, but the drug was already off the market when the full results were published in 2018.
No. Albiglutide is no longer manufactured or available in any market. Patients who were on albiglutide have been transitioned to other GLP-1 agonists. It remains of scientific interest for understanding GLP-1 agonist class effects.
Albiglutide is a large albumin fusion protein (~73 kDa). Its size likely limits penetration across the blood-brain barrier, reducing its effects on central appetite regulation in the hypothalamus. Smaller GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide achieve greater CNS exposure and stronger appetite suppression.