Written by Johnathon Anderson, Ph.D., a research scientist, and Associate Professor at the University of California Davis School of Medicine
Published by: Peptide Systems
Key Takeaways
The "GLP-1 Exodus": New 2026 legislation (the SAFE Drugs Act) and the end of FDA shortage exemptions have forced many vendors to stop selling Semaglutide and Tirzepatide.
Why We Are Unaffected: Peptide Systems never sold these commercial compounds, recognizing early that their mass distribution violated "Research Use Only" (RUO) compliance standards.
The "Essentially a Copy" Rule: The new laws prohibit selling research chemicals that are biologically identical to FDA-approved drugs (like Wegovy) without a New Drug Application.
Our Commitment: We remain open and fully stocked with novel, non-commercial peptides (e.g., Thymosin-Beta 4) because our catalog was built on a foundation of true preclinical research, not gray-market arbitrage.
In the first few days of 2026, the online research community noticed a sudden, widespread change. Almost overnight, vendors across the industry began scrubbing their catalogs, removing popular GLP-1 agonists like Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and Retatrutide.
For many researchers and laboratory procurement managers, this has led to a single, pressing question: Why?
The answer lies in the enactment of new legislative measures, specifically the SAFE Drugs Act, and a fundamental shift in how the FDA defines "Research Use Only" exemptions.
At Peptide Systems, our catalog remains unchanged today, because we never sold these compounds to begin with. Here is the technical explanation behind the industry-wide shift, and why a "Compliance by Design" philosophy is the only way to ensure a stable supply chain for legitimate scientific research.
1. The Legislative Trigger: Why Peptide Companies Stopped Selling GLP-1s
The primary catalyst for the recent "exodus" is the Safeguarding Americans from Fraudulent and Experimental (SAFE) Drugs Act, introduced by Congressmen Yakym and Carson. Congressman Rudy Yakym stated, “Americans deserve confidence that their prescription medicines are safe, effective, and made to highest quality standards. This bill restores that confidence by requiring regular inspections of compounding facilities, enhancing transparency through stronger reporting requirements, and ensuring the FDA has the resources it needs to safeguard consumers.”
While this legislation primarily targets 503A and 503B compounding pharmacies, its language regarding "Essentially a Copy" has created a shockwave that reached the research chemical sector, and explains why peptide companies stopped selling GLP-1s. Rita Kalyani, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer with the American Diabetes Association, released a statement, including, “While compounded medications play a critical role in our health care system, concerns have emerged regarding the widespread availability and promotion of non-FDA-approved compounded GLP-1 and dual GIP/GLP-1 RA medication classes to treat obesity directly to patients. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) issued a statement recommending against the usage of compounded GLP and dual GIP/GLP-1 RA medications due to uncertainty about their content, safety, quality, and effectiveness. The ADA is committed to ensuring patients have access to safe and effective FDA-approved medications to treat their diabetes and obesity. Additional FDA oversight is needed regarding these compounding practices for these medication classes and entities manufacturing them to protect patients with diabetes and obesity.”
The "Essentially a Copy" Rule
Under the new legislative framework, the definition of a "copy" has been tightened.
Previously: Vendors operated in a gray area, arguing that their lyophilized powders were "research chemicals," not drugs.
Now: The SAFE Drugs Act clarifies that mass-producing a molecule that is biologically identical to an FDA-approved drug (like Wegovy® or Zepbound®) without an approved New Drug Application (NDA) constitutes the distribution of an "unapproved new drug."
This slight but critical change in enforcement language means that the "Research Use Only" label no longer offers a shield for vendors selling commercial-scale quantities of these specific sequences.
2. The "Shortage List" Loophole Has Closed
For the past two years, the proliferation of GLP-1 agonists online was largely fueled by the FDA's Drug Shortage List.
The Loophole: When a drug is officially in shortage, the FDA temporarily relaxes restrictions, allowing compounders to make versions of that drug to meet patient demand. Many research vendors used this window to sell these peptides openly.
The Closure: As of late 2025, the supply chains for Semaglutide and Tirzepatide have stabilized, and these drugs are moving off the shortage list. Once a drug is considered "commercially available," selling a copy becomes a direct violation of the FD&C Act.
Vendors who built their business models on this temporary shortage window are now facing an existential crisis. For Peptide Systems, this volatility does not affect us, as we focus exclusively on novel, non-commercial sequences for preclinical investigation.
3. The Crackdown on "Fake Research"
A third factor driving this shift is the FDA's aggressive enforcement against the "Not for Human Consumption" labeling fraud.
In recent FDA warning letters, regulators have made it clear that "intent" is determined by marketing, not just labeling. If a vendor sells a "research peptide" but offers dosing calculators, references human weight loss studies, or uses social media influencers to promote it, the "research" defense is null and void.
Why Peptide Systems Never Sold Them: We recognized that the market for Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and Retatrutide and other GLP-1 associated peptides was 99% consumer-driven, not research-driven. By avoiding these "hot" commercial compounds, we protect our clients from the legal risks associated with gray-market suppliers.
4. The Researcher’s Checklist: How to Vet a Vendor in 2026
With the market in flux, how can Principal Investigators (PIs) and Lab Managers ensure they are buying from a compliant source? Use this checklist:
No "Lifestyle" Marketing: Does the vendor blog about weight loss, tanning, or muscle growth? If so, they are high-risk. A legitimate vendor discusses mechanism of action, not biological outcomes.
HPLC/MS Transparency: Does the vendor provide batch-specific content analysis (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) data?
Domestic Accountability: Is the vendor a registered US entity with a traceable supply chain, or an anonymous offshore LLC?
Focused Catalog: Does the vendor sell thousands of random compounds, or a curated list of research-validated peptides (e.g., Thymosin-Beta 4, NAD+)?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Will Semaglutide ever return to research sites? A: It is unlikely. As long as it remains a patented, FDA-approved drug, the sale of unlicensed copies will be heavily restricted. Legitimate researchers usually must source these controls directly from the patent holder or licensed chemical distributors like Sigma-Aldrich/Merck.
Q: Is it illegal to buy peptides for research? A: No. Buying peptides for in vitro or animal research remains legal, provided they are not scheduled substances. The recent bans specifically target unapproved copies of commercial drugs sold for human use.
Q: Why does Peptide Systems still sell Thymosin-Beta-4 and NAD+? A: These peptides are not "copies" of FDA-approved prescription drugs. They are novel sequences used extensively in regenerative biology research. Because they do not compete with a patented pharmaceutical product, they remain available for legitimate laboratory investigation.
