Investigational small-molecule triple monoamine reuptake inhibitor (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine) originally developed by NeuroSearch, researched for appetite suppression and weight management.
Last Updated: August 2026
Tesofensine (development code NS2330) is a small-molecule triple monoamine reuptake inhibitor of the phenyltropane family that blocks presynaptic reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, enhancing signaling across all three. It was originally developed by the Danish company NeuroSearch (rights later transferred to Saniona) and first investigated for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease; when trials showed pronounced unintended weight loss, it was repurposed as an anti-obesity candidate. It is not a peptide — chemically it is a small molecule (C17H23Cl2NO, 328.28 g/mol) — and it is not approved by the FDA or EMA for any indication; it is supplied for research use only. The lab test table and shop directory above show Peptigrity's independent verification data, updated continuously as new HPLC tests are submitted.
Tesofensine simultaneously inhibits reuptake of all three major monoamines — serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine — which is thought to suppress appetite and modestly increase energy expenditure through combined central pathways. This is a fundamentally different mechanism from the GLP-1 class: where semaglutide and retatrutide act on gut-hormone receptors, tesofensine acts directly on brain neurotransmitter systems that regulate satiety and reward — closer in principle to older centrally-acting agents, but hitting three transporters at once. PET imaging in humans has shown dose-dependent dopamine-transporter blockade, and the compound has a notably long elimination half-life (on the order of ~220 hours).
In the 2008 Phase II randomised controlled trial (TIPO-1, n=203) published in The Lancet, tesofensine 0.5 mg plus an energy-restricted diet produced a mean 9.2% greater weight loss than diet-and-placebo over 24 weeks (10.6% at the 1.0 mg dose) over 24 weeks — about double the effect of the anti-obesity drugs marketed at the time. This makes tesofensine unusual among research-market compounds in having a published human RCT rather than only preclinical data. However, the data are now well over a decade old, and development did not progress to approval: a cardiovascular safety signal (below) stalled US progress, and the most advanced regulatory action to date is a combination product approved outside the US (Tesomet, tesofensine plus the beta-blocker metoprolol). Evidence level: Human RCT (Phase II); older data, development stalled, no approval.
No — Tesofensine is a small-molecule phenyltropane (C17H23Cl2NO, 328.28 g/mol), not a peptide. It is grouped on Peptigrity with peptides because it is sold in the same research-compound market and targets weight management, not because of any structural similarity. The relevant purity signals are therefore HPLC purity and mass-spectrometry identity confirmation against an expected molecular weight of 328.28 Da — the same verification logic we apply to peptides, on different chemistry.
The central safety concern is cardiovascular: Phase II trials documented dose-dependent increases in heart rate and blood pressure, and this signal is the main reason US development did not advance. Other reported effects are consistent with monoaminergic stimulation — dry mouth, insomnia, nausea, constipation, and mood or agitation effects. Notably, the Tesomet combination product pairs tesofensine with a beta-blocker specifically to counter the cardiovascular signal through co-administration rather than removing it. Evidence level: Human RCT (Phase II). This is not a self-administration recommendation — see regulatory status below.
Tesofensine is not approved by the FDA or EMA; as of 2026 it has no active US approval pathway and is not available by prescription in the United States. The furthest-advanced regulatory step is in Mexico, where Saniona's partner Medix pursued approval of tesofensine as a single agent for obesity: Mexico's COFEPRIS technical committee issued a favorable opinion in February 2023, but tesofensine remains not finally approved in Mexico — or anywhere else — as of August 2026. Tesomet (tesofensine combined with the beta-blocker metoprolol) is a separate, still-investigational program (for indications such as hypothalamic obesity and Prader-Willi syndrome) and is not approved in any market. (with metoprolol) in another market. Development rights passed from NeuroSearch to Saniona. Elsewhere it circulates as a research-use-only compound with no approved prescription pathway. Country-specific import rules apply — see our peptide regulatory status by country guide.
Tesofensine is active at sub-milligram doses — trial doses ranged from roughly 0.25 to 1 mg — so even small labeling or purity errors translate into large relative dosing errors, which makes independent HPLC and mass-spec testing especially important. The gray market sells it as capsules, tablets, and oral solution, where underdosing, overdosing, and contamination are all real risks. Expected identity on analysis: C17H23Cl2NO, 328.28 Da. Learn how to interpret results in our how-to-test-peptides hub and the reading peptide lab test results guide.
Peptigrity collects independent third-party Certificates of Analysis for tesofensine from shops' official channels and verifies each for authenticity before publishing. Because shops choose which COAs to publish, results reflect the batches shops have made public rather than every production batch — a selection bias we state openly. A community-funded Testing Grant to purchase and test vials anonymously is in development. Tests in the database come from independent labs such as Janoshik Analytical, Freedom Diagnostics, and Chromate. The lab test table above is sortable by date, purity, and labeled-vs-tested quantity; the trust score weights independent lab purity and community reviews equally (50/50), with the full methodology documented in how we calculate trust scores.
This section is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Tesofensine is an investigational compound not approved by the FDA or any other regulator for human use. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any research compound. Peptigrity is an independent review platform and does not sell, endorse, or recommend specific products or vendors.
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