Novel Dual CCK/GLP-1 Peptide Drug Outperforms Liraglutide for Alzheimer's Cognitive Improvement in Mice | Research

The takeaway

A novel dual CCK/GLP-1 receptor agonist improved cognitive deficits, reduced amyloid-beta accumulation, and protected mitochondria in Alzheimer's mice via PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy — outperforming liraglutide on some measures.

Outperformed liraglutide
The dual CCK/GLP-1 agonist was superior to single-target liraglutide on certain cognitive and neuropathological measures in 5×FAD Alzheimer's mice, suggesting dual peptide receptor activation provides enhanced brain protection.

What the researchers found

The novel dual CCK/GLP-1 receptor agonist demonstrated multiple neuroprotective effects in 5×FAD Alzheimer's mice:

- Improved cognitive deficits (memory and learning)

- Reduced amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation in the brain

- Alleviated mitochondrial damage through induction of mitophagy

- Regulated PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy pathway (confirmed in both in vivo and Aβ-treated cell models)

- Outperformed the GLP-1 analogue liraglutide on certain indicators

This is the first demonstration that a CCK/GLP-1 dual agonist modulates mitophagy via the PINK1/Parkin pathway to enhance cognitive function in an Alzheimer's model.

Why it matters

Alzheimer's disease remains one of the greatest unmet medical needs, affecting over 55 million people worldwide. GLP-1 drugs have generated excitement as potential Alzheimer's treatments (semaglutide is currently in clinical trials), but this study suggests that combining GLP-1 with CCK receptor activation may be even more effective. The dual approach targets brain inflammation, amyloid clearance, and mitochondrial health simultaneously — addressing multiple Alzheimer's pathways through a single peptide drug.

How the study worked

Researchers tested a novel dual CCK/GLP-1 receptor agonist in 5×FAD transgenic mice (a model carrying five familial Alzheimer's mutations that develops aggressive amyloid pathology). Cognitive performance was assessed using behavioral testing. Brain amyloid-beta levels, mitochondrial integrity, and mitophagy markers were measured. The PINK1/Parkin mitophagy pathway was investigated in vivo and confirmed in an in vitro Aβ-induced cell model. Results were compared against liraglutide (a standard GLP-1 RA) and vehicle control groups.

What this study cannot tell us

The 5×FAD mouse model represents aggressive familial Alzheimer's with rapid amyloid accumulation, which differs from the slower, more complex human sporadic Alzheimer's. The comparison with liraglutide is incomplete — 'certain indicators' were superior but the abstract doesn't specify which outcomes or by how much. The novel dual agonist has not been tested in humans, and brain penetration, pharmacokinetics, and safety in humans are unknown. The study does not address tau pathology, another key Alzheimer's feature. Specific cognitive test results and quantitative measurements are not detailed in the abstract.

How to read the evidence

This is a preclinical study in a well-established Alzheimer's transgenic mouse model with both in vivo and in vitro mechanistic validation. The inclusion of a liraglutide comparison group strengthens the study. However, all findings are in animal models, and the novel dual agonist has not been characterized in humans.

When this study was published

Published in 2025, this is a very current study at the forefront of multi-target peptide drug development for neurodegenerative disease.

The bigger picture

Multi-target peptide drugs are an emerging strategy in neurodegenerative disease. While single-target GLP-1 drugs show promise for Alzheimer's, combining GLP-1 with CCK (a peptide that enhances satiety, modulates neurotransmission, and has neuroprotective properties) may create synergistic brain protection. This study follows a growing trend of dual and triple peptide agonists in metabolic disease (tirzepatide, retatrutide) and extends this concept to neurodegeneration. The PINK1/Parkin mitophagy mechanism connects to broader mitochondrial dysfunction in aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Questions still open

Would the dual CCK/GLP-1 agonist outperform semaglutide (more potent than liraglutide) in the same Alzheimer's model?
Does the dual agonist cross the blood-brain barrier effectively, or does it rely on peripheral signaling?
Could adding CCK receptor activation to existing GLP-1 drugs in clinical Alzheimer's trials enhance their neuroprotective effects?

Common questions

Could GLP-1 drugs prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease?

Growing evidence suggests they might help. GLP-1 receptors are found in the brain, and activating them appears to reduce inflammation, protect mitochondria, and help clear toxic amyloid proteins. This study takes it further by combining GLP-1 with CCK — another gut-brain peptide — creating a dual-target drug that worked even better than GLP-1 alone in Alzheimer's mice. Clinical trials of semaglutide for Alzheimer's are already underway.

What is mitophagy and why does it matter for Alzheimer's?

Mitophagy is the brain's process of recycling damaged mitochondria — the energy factories of cells. In Alzheimer's disease, this cleanup process breaks down, and damaged mitochondria accumulate, producing toxic molecules that kill brain cells. The dual CCK/GLP-1 drug reactivated mitophagy through the PINK1/Parkin pathway, essentially restoring the brain's ability to clean up its own cellular damage.

Read the original research

A novel dual CCK/ GLP-1 receptor agonist ameliorates cognitive impairment in 5 × FAD mice by modulating mitophagy via the PINK1/Parkin pathway.

International immunopharmacology, 154, 114612

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Luo, Rihong; Kang, Yuhan; Ma, He; Zhang, Zhenqiang; Hölscher, Christian; Hao, Li; Zhang, Zijuan. (2025). A novel dual CCK/ GLP-1 receptor agonist ameliorates cognitive impairment in 5 × FAD mice by modulating mitophagy via the PINK1/Parkin pathway.. International immunopharmacology, 154, 114612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2025.114612