What tirzepatide is
Tirzepatide (international non-proprietary name) is a synthetic peptide of 39 amino acids. According to the official summary of product characteristics of the product authorised in the European Union, a C20 fatty diacid moiety is attached to the molecule, which enables it to bind albumin. The official US FDA label gives a molecular weight of 4813.53 Da and the empirical formula C225H348N48O68. The sequence includes two aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) residues and an amidated C-terminus, and the lysine at position 20 is attached to eicosanedioic acid through a linker. In the literature, tirzepatide is described as a dual agonist of two gut-hormone receptors. Receptor pharmacology studies (Willard et al., JCI Insight, 2020) characterise it as an "imbalanced" agonist: it engages one of the two receptors more strongly, and at the second it favours one intracellular signalling pathway, cAMP generation, over β-arrestin recruitment. This description concerns molecular pharmacology and does not concern any effect in humans.
Authorised medicine or research material? The difference that matters
Tirzepatide is not only a research compound. There is an authorised medicinal product with tirzepatide as its active substance, available on medical prescription only. It has held a centralised European Union marketing authorisation since 15 September 2022, and its official classification is "medicinal product subject to medical prescription". Research material is something entirely different: — it is not a medicine and holds no marketing authorisation as a medicine; — it is not the authorised product, nor an equivalent of it; — it is not intended for human or veterinary use; — it does not replace a medical examination or a medical prescription. Anyone seeking treatment should consult a doctor. The material Avenor supplies is intended exclusively for laboratory research.
Legal framework in Greece and the EU
EU medicines law (Directive 2001/83/EC) treats a substance as a medicine in two ways: either because it is presented as having properties for treating or preventing disease in human beings, or because it may be administered to human beings with a view to restoring, correcting or modifying physiological functions. Greece transposed the Directive through Joint Ministerial Decision ΔΥΓ3α/Γ.Π. 32221/2013 (Government Gazette Β΄ 1049/2013). Two consequences matter for anyone reading about tirzepatide: — No medicine may be placed on the market without a marketing authorisation. The authorised product containing tirzepatide is available on prescription only. — Presentation matters. Text that attributes therapeutic properties to a material can, on its own, bring it within the definition of a medicine. That is why this article does not describe therapeutic uses, outcomes, dosages or routes of administration.
How to read a tirzepatide CoA
A certificate of analysis (CoA) is the document that records what a specific batch contains. For a synthetic peptide such as tirzepatide, these are the fields worth reading carefully: — Identity by mass spectrometry (MS). It confirms that the molecule is the one declared by measuring its molecular mass — for tirzepatide about 4813.5 Da. — Purity by liquid chromatography (HPLC). Given as a percentage, it shows what share of the detected peptide species is the molecule itself. — Batch number. It should match the label on the vial. — Date of analysis and the laboratory that carried it out. Purity and content are not the same. HPLC purity concerns only the peptide species in the sample. The powder, however, also contains water, because peptides are hygroscopic, and a counter-ion, usually acetate or trifluoroacetate. That is why a material can show very high HPLC purity and a lower net peptide content. For reference, the European Medicines Agency guideline on synthetic peptides (2025) sets out what a pharmaceutical-grade specification covers: identity, purity, content, counter-ion, water content, residual solvents, bacterial endotoxins and microbiological purity. Why identity matters: in October 2025 the Irish regulator HPRA announced that laboratory tests on falsified products declared as tirzepatide showed they contained insulin. That is exactly the kind of error a mass-spectrometry analysis detects. Avenor's published certificates of analysis are in the COA library.
Physical form of the material
The research material is supplied as a lyophilised powder in a sealed vial — a stable, dry form typical of peptides for laboratory use. Lyophilisation is considered common practice for synthetic peptides, according to the same European Medicines Agency guideline.
Shipping within Greece
Shipments to Greece use professional, protective packaging designed for the safe transport of research material. Details on destinations and the process are on the shipping page.
Is it the same as the authorised medicine?
No. The authorised medicinal product with tirzepatide as its active substance is available on medical prescription only. Research material is not a medicine, is not equivalent to the medicine and is not intended for human or veterinary use.
What does RUO mean?
RUO stands for Research Use Only. The material is intended for laboratory study and not for human or veterinary use.
Where is the batch CoA?
Published certificates of analysis are collected in the COA library. The current documentation status for tirzepatide is shown on the product page.
How much does tirzepatide for research cost?
The current price and available quantities are on the product page.
RUO note
This article is an informational overview of research material. It provides no directions for use, application amounts, protocols or outcome claims. Research material is not the authorised medicine and does not replace it. For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use.
Sources
European Medicines Agency — Summary of product characteristics (English): ema.europa.eu FDA — Official label, section 11: accessdata.fda.gov Coskun T. et al., Molecular Metabolism 2018;18:3–14. DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2018.09.009 Willard F.S. et al., JCI Insight 2020;5(17):e140532. DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.140532 Directive 2001/83/EC, consolidated text: eur-lex.europa.eu EMA — Guideline on the Development and Manufacture of Synthetic Peptides (2025): ema.europa.eu HPRA — notice of 10/10/2025: hpra.ie