GLP-1 receptor

Semaglutide is derivatized at lysine 26 and differs from human GLP-1 in two amino acid substitutions (Aib⁸, Arg³⁴). Semaglutide has an affinity for GLP-1R of 0.38±0.06 nM[1]. With a 94% sequence homology to human GLP-1, semaglutide is an analogue of GLP-1[3].

Semaglutide has an MRT of 63.6 hours after s.c. dosing to mini-pigs and a plasma half-life of 46 hours in mini-pigs after intravenous administration[1]. Motor impairments caused by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) are ameliorated by semaglutide. Semaglutide also protects dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and striatum by rescuing the decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels, reducing lipid peroxidation, alleviating inflammation, inhibiting the apoptosis pathway, and increasing the expression of autophagy-related proteins. Furthermore, semaglutide, the long-acting GLP-1 analogue, outperforms NN-2211 in the majority of parameters[2].

HEK293‐SNAP‐GLP‐1R cells were labelled in suspension with SNAP‐Lumi4‐Tb (40 nM, Cisbio, Codelet, France) for 1 hour at room temperature in complete medium. After washing and resuspension in hanks' balanced salt solution containing 0.1% bovine serum albumin and metabolic inhibitors (20 mmol/L 2‐deoxygucose and 10 mmol/L NaN3) to prevent GLP‐1R internalization, binding experiments were performed by time‐resolved förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) using exendin (9‐39) with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) installed at position K12 as previously described. [4]

Semaglutide activates the GLP-1 receptor in pancreatic beta cells leading to glucose-dependent insulin release. It also decreases glucagon secretion, slows gastric emptying, and promotes satiety.

Mice: Male C57BL/6 mice 10 weeks old (20-25 g) are used throughout the study. Six groups of mice are randomly assigned (n = 12 per group). The treatments were as follows: (i) saline alone was given to the control group; (ii) NN-2211 group received saline and NN-2211 (25 nmol/kg ip. once daily for 7 days); (iii) Semaglutide group received saline and Semaglutide (25 nmol/kg ip. once daily for 7 days); (iv) MPTP group received MPTP alone (once daily 20 mg/kg ip. for 7 days); (v) MPTP (once daily 20 mg/kg ip. for 7 days) was immediately followed by NN-2211 treated group (25 nmol/kg ip. once daily for 7 days). (vi) MPTP (20 mg/kg i.p. once daily for 7 days), which was immediately followed by the group treated with semaglutide (25 nmol/kg i.p. once daily for 7 days). Measure behavioral changes, neuronal damage, inflammatory markers, and other biomarkers at the conclusion of drug treatments[2].

Absorption, Distribution and Excretion
The Cmax of semaglutide was 10.9 nmol/L, with AUC of 3123.4 nmol h/L and a Tmax of 56 h in one clinical trial, achieved within 1-3 days. The absolute bioavailability is 89%. Steady-state concentration of the oral tablet is achieved in 4-5 weeks. Average steady state concentrations of semaglutide are the mean steady state concentrations after dosing at 0.5mg to 1mg range from 16 nmol/L to 30 nmol/L.
This drug is mainly cleared by the kidneys, and is found excreted in both the urine and feces. The main elimination route is the urine by corresponding to 53% of an ingested radiolabeled dose, with 18.6% found in the feces. A smaller amount of 3.2% was found to be exhaled. Hepatic impairment does not appear to affect the clearance of this drug and dose adjustments are not required in patients with decreased liver function.
The volume of distribution of semaglutide is 8L to 9.4L. It crosses the placenta in rats.
The clearance rate of semaglutide is 0.039 L/h according to one clinical study. On the FDA label, semaglutide clearance is reported to be about 0.05 L/h in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Metabolism / Metabolites
Semaglutide is cleaved at the peptide backbone, followed by β‐oxidation of the fatty acid chain. Naturally occurring GLP‐1 is quickly metabolized by dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 (DPP‐4) and other enzymes, which is ubiquitous in human tissues. Chemical structure modifications render semaglutide less susceptible to enzymatic degradation by gastrointestinal DPP‐4 enzymes. It is slowly and extensively metabolized, with about 83% of the administered dose measured in the plasma as unchanged drug. Neural endopeptidase (NEP) is another enzyme that metabolizes this drug. DPP-4 inactivates semaglutide, truncating the N-terminal segment while NEP hydrolyzes peptide bondsSix different metabolites of semaglutide have been identified in human plasma. The major metabolite, named P3, accounts for about 7.7% of an ingested dose.

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Biological Half-Life
One of the major properties of semaglutide is its long half-life of 168 h. The long half-life is attributed to its albumin binding. This lowers the renal clearance and protects semaglutide from metabolic breakdown.

Hepatotoxicity
In large clinical trials, serum enzyme elevations were no more common with semaglutide therapy than with placebo or comparator agents, and no instances of clinically apparent liver injury were reported. Indeed, treatment with semaglutide and other GLP-1 analogues is often associated with improvements in serum aminotransferase levels (and hepatic steatosis) making them possible treatments for nonalcoholic fatty liver. Since licensure, there have been no published case reports of hepatotoxicity due to semaglutide and the product label does not list liver injury as an adverse event. Thus, liver injury due to semaglutide must be rare, if it occurs at all.
Likelihood score: E (unlikely cause of clinically apparent liver injury).

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Effects During Pregnancy and Lactation
◉ Summary of Use during Lactation
No information is available on the clinical use of semaglutide during breastfeeding. Because semaglutide is a peptide molecule with a molecular weight of 4113 Da and is over 99% protein bound, the amount in milk is likely to be very low. Furthermore, semaglutide is only 0.4% to 1% orally absorbed, so it is unlikely to adversely affect the breastfed infant.
◉ Effects in Breastfed Infants
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
◉ Effects on Lactation and Breastmilk
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
◈ What is semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a medication that has been used to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is available as an injection (given by shot) or by tablet (taken by mouth). The injectable form is sold under the brand name Ozempic®. The tablet form is sold under the brand name Rybelsus®.Semaglutide can also be used as an injection to treat obesity. A brand name for semaglutide used for weight management is Wegovy®. Weight loss is not recommended during pregnancy. Talk with your healthcare providers about using Wegovy® and what treatment is best for you.It is important to talk with your healthcare providers before making any changes to how you take your medication. Your healthcare providers can talk with you about the benefits of treating your condition and the risks of untreated illness during pregnancy.Obesity and high/uncontrolled blood sugar can make it harder to get pregnant, and increase the chance of miscarriage, birth defects, or other pregnancy complications. MotherToBaby has fact sheets on diabetes https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/type-1-and-type-2-diabetes/ and obesity https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/obesity-pregnancy/.
◈ I am taking semaglutide, but I would like to stop taking it before getting pregnant. How long does the drug stay in my body?
People eliminate medication at different rates. In healthy adults, it can take up to 6 weeks, on average, for most of the semaglutide to be gone from the body. The product labels for Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Rybelsus® recommend people who are planning a pregnancy to stop this medication 2 months before a pregnancy.
◈ I take semaglutide. Can it make it harder for me to get pregnant?
It is not known if semaglutide can make it harder to get pregnant.
◈ Does taking semaglutide increase the chance of miscarriage?
Miscarriage is common and can occur in any pregnancy for many different reasons. Studies have not been done in humans to see if semaglutide increases the chance of miscarriage. Animal studies have reported a higher chance for miscarriage. It is unclear if this finding was due to the medication or from weight loss. As there can be many causes of miscarriage, it is hard to know if the medication, the medical condition, or other factors are the cause of a miscarriage.
◈ Does taking semaglutide increase the chance of birth defects?*
Every pregnancy starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a birth defect. This is called the background risk. Research studies have not been done to see if semaglutide increases the chance of birth defects in humans. There has been one report of a person who got pregnant while taking semaglutide. The person stayed on semaglutide for the first 3-4 weeks of pregnancy and gave birth to a child without reported birth defects.In animal studies done by the manufacturer, an increased chance for some birth defects was seen. However, this happened when the amount of semaglutide given was toxic to the mother animal. Also, it is unclear if the reported birth defects were due to the medication or other factors in the study (such as weight loss).Because high/uncontrolled blood sugar can increase the chance of birth defects and other pregnancy complications, it is important to weigh the benefit of using semaglutide against the risks of the untreated condition. Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to treat your condition in pregnancy.
◈ Does taking semaglutide in pregnancy increase the chance of other pregnancy-related problems?
Human studies have not been done to see if semaglutide increases the chance for pregnancy-related problems such as preterm delivery (birth before week 37) or low birth weight (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces [2500 grams] at birth). Animal studies reported offspring that were smaller than usual when the parent animal was exposed to doses higher than the dose used in humans. It is unclear if this was due to the medication, weight loss, or that the study animals were healthy and did not need to take semaglutide to stay healthy.
◈ Does taking semaglutide in pregnancy affect future behavior or learning for the child?
Studies have not been done to see if semaglutide can cause behavior or learning issues for the child.
◈ Breastfeeding while taking semaglutide:
There is no available information about semaglutide and human breastmilk. Based on an animal study, semaglutide is expected to get into breastmilk in small amounts. Your healthcare providers can talk with you about using semaglutide and what treatment is best for you. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about all your breastfeeding questions.The product label for Rybelsus® recommends that people who are breastfeeding not use the tablet form of the medication if they are breastfeeding an infant. This is because there is a theoretical concern that using the tablet form of this medication could lead to higher levels in a nursing infant. However, the benefit of using semaglutide may outweigh possible risks. Your healthcare provider can talk with you about using semaglutide in these other forms (tablet versus injectable) and what treatment is best for you.
◈ If a male takes semaglutide, could it affect fertility or increase the chance of birth defects?
Studies have not been done in humans to see if semaglutide could affect male fertility (ability to get partner pregnant) or increase the chance of birth defects above the background risk. There were no changes in male fertility reported in one animal study using the dose of semaglutide that would be used in humans. In general, exposures that fathers or sperm donors have are unlikely to increase risks to a pregnancy. For more information, please see the MotherToBaby fact sheet Paternal Exposures at https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/paternal-exposures-pregnancy/.

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Protein Binding
Semaglutide binds with high affinity to plasma albumin, promoting high levels of drug stability. It is more than 99% bound to albumin.

[1]. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2016 Nov 10;375(19):1834-1844.

[2]. Neuroprotective effects of the novel GLP-1 long acting analogue semaglutide in the MPTP Parkinson's disease mouse model. Neuropeptides. 2018 Oct;71:70-80.

[3]. Semaglutide: First Global Approval. Drugs. 2018 Feb;78(2):275-284.

Pharmacodynamics
Semaglutide reduces HbA1c, systolic blood pressure, and body weight. After 12 weeks of treatment, semaglutide decreased fasting and postprandial glucose by increasing insulin production and decreasing glucagon secretion (which is normally associated with increases in blood sugar). Semaglutide also lowers fasting triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol, exerting beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. Semaglutide has been shown to cause medullary thyroid cell carcinoma in rodents. While its clinical relevance to humans is unknown, the FDA advises not to administer this drug in those with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma. Semaglutide also poses a risk of pancreatitis and dehydration. Patients must be adequately hydrated while on semaglutide and are advised to seek medical attention immediately in cases of abdominal pain radiating to the back. Because this drug delays gastric emptying, it is important to monitor for the efficacy or adverse effects of other drugs that are administered orally.

C187H291N45O59

4113.5776

4111.12

C, 54.60; H, 7.13; N, 15.32; O, 22.95

910463-68-2

1997361-85-9 (Semaglutide acetate); 910463-68-2 (Semaglutide free base); 2924330-56-1 (sodium)

56843331

H-His-Aib-Glu-Gly-Thr-Phe-Thr-Ser-Asp-Val-Ser-Ser-Tyr-Leu-Glu-Gly-Gln-Ala-Ala-Lys-Glu-Phe-Ile-Ala-Trp-Leu-Val-Arg-Gly-Arg-Gly-OH

HXEGTFTSDV SSYLEGQAAK EFIAWLVRGR G

White to off-white solid powder

-5.8

57

63

151

291

9590

30

CC[C@H](C)[C@@H](C(=O)N[C@@H](C)C(=O)N[C@@H](CC1=CNC2=CC=CC=C21)C(=O)N[C@@H](CC(C)C)C(=O)N[C@@H](C(C)C)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCCNC(=N)N)C(=O)NCC(=O)N[C@@H](CCCNC(=N)N)C(=O)NCC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CC3=CC=CC=C3)NC(=O)[C@H](CCC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCCNC(=O)COCCOCCNC(=O)COCCOCCNC(=O)CC[C@H](C(=O)O)NC(=O)CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](C)NC(=O)[C@H](C)NC(=O)[C@H](CCC(=O)N)NC(=O)CNC(=O)[C@H](CCC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CC(C)C)NC(=O)[C@H](CC4=CC=C(C=C4)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CO)NC(=O)[C@H](CO)NC(=O)[C@H](C(C)C)NC(=O)[C@H](CC(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CO)NC(=O)[C@H]([C@@H](C)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CC5=CC=CC=C5)NC(=O)[C@H]([C@@H](C)O)NC(=O)CNC(=O)[C@H](CCC(=O)O)NC(=O)C(C)(C)NC(=O)[C@H](CC6=CN=CN6)N

DLSWIYLPEUIQAV-CCUURXOWSA-N

InChI=1S/C187H291N45O59/c1-18-105(10)154(180(282)208-108(13)159(261)216-133(86-114-89-200-119-50-40-39-49-117(114)119)170(272)218-129(82-102(4)5)171(273)228-152(103(6)7)178(280)215-121(53-44-72-199-186(192)193)162(264)201-91-141(242)209-120(52-43-71-198-185(190)191)161(263)204-94-151(257)258)230-172(274)131(83-111-45-33-31-34-46-111)219-167(269)126(64-69-149(253)254)214-166(268)122(51-41-42-70-195-144(245)98-290-79-78-289-76-74-197-145(246)99-291-80-77-288-75-73-196-139(240)66-61-127(183(285)286)211-140(241)54-37-29-27-25-23-21-19-20-22-24-26-28-30-38-55-146(247)248)212-158(260)107(12)206-157(259)106(11)207-165(267)125(60-65-138(189)239)210-142(243)92-202-163(265)123(62-67-147(249)250)213-168(270)128(81-101(2)3)217-169(271)130(85-113-56-58-116(238)59-57-113)220-175(277)135(95-233)223-177(279)137(97-235)224-179(281)153(104(8)9)229-174(276)134(88-150(255)256)221-176(278)136(96-234)225-182(284)156(110(15)237)231-173(275)132(84-112-47-35-32-36-48-112)222-181(283)155(109(14)236)227-143(244)93-203-164(266)124(63-68-148(251)252)226-184(287)187(16,17)232-160(262)118(188)87-115-90-194-100-205-115/h31-36,39-40,45-50,56-59,89-90,100-110,118,120-137,152-156,200,233-238H,18-30,37-38,41-44,51-55,60-88,91-99,188H2,1-17H3,(H2,189,239)(H,194,205)(H,195,245)(H,196,240)(H,197,246)(H,201,264)(H,202,265)(H,203,266)(H,204,263)(H,206,259)(H,207,267)(H,208,282)(H,209,242)(H,210,243)(H,211,241)(H,212,260)(H,213,270)(H,214,268)(H,215,280)(H,216,261)(H,217,271)(H,218,272)(H,219,269)(H,220,277)(H,221,278)(H,222,283)(H,223,279)(H,224,281)(H,225,284)(H,226,287)(H,227,244)(H,228,273)(H,229,276)(H,230,274)(H,231,275)(H,232,262)(H,247,248)(H,249,250)(H,251,252)(H,253,254)(H,255,256)(H,257,258)(H,285,286)(H4,190,191,198)(H4,192,193,199)/t105-,106-,107-,108-,109+,110+,118-,120-,121-,122-,123-,124-,125-,126-,127+,128-,129-,130-,131-,132-,133-,134-,135-,136-,137-,152-,153-,154-,155-,156-/m0/s1

18-[[(1R)-4-[2-[2-[2-[2-[2-[2-[[(5S)-5-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-5-amino-2-[[2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S,3R)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S,3R)-2-[[2-[[(2S)-2-[[2-[[(2S)-2-amino-3-(1H-imidazol-5-yl)propanoyl]amino]-2-methylpropanoyl]amino]-4-carboxybutanoyl]amino]acetyl]amino]-3-hydroxybutanoyl]amino]-3-phenylpropanoyl]amino]-3-hydroxybutanoyl]amino]-3-hydroxypropanoyl]amino]-3-carboxypropanoyl]amino]-3-methylbutanoyl]amino]-3-hydroxypropanoyl]amino]-3-hydroxypropanoyl]amino]-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoyl]amino]-4-methylpentanoyl]amino]-4-carboxybutanoyl]amino]acetyl]amino]-5-oxopentanoyl]amino]propanoyl]amino]propanoyl]amino]-6-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S,3S)-1-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-1-[[(2S)-5-carbamimidamido-1-[[2-[[(2S)-5-carbamimidamido-1-(carboxymethylamino)-1-oxopentan-2-yl]amino]-2-oxoethyl]amino]-1-oxopentan-2-yl]amino]-3-methyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl]amino]-4-methyl-1-oxopentan-2-yl]amino]-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-1-oxopropan-2-yl]amino]-1-oxopropan-2-yl]amino]-3-methyl-1-oxopentan-2-yl]amino]-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl]amino]-4-carboxy-1-oxobutan-2-yl]amino]-6-oxohexyl]amino]-2-oxoethoxy]ethoxy]ethylamino]-2-oxoethoxy]ethoxy]ethylamino]-1-carboxy-4-oxobutyl]amino]-18-oxooctadecanoic acid

NN 9535; NN9535; NN-9535; Ozempic; NNC 0113-0217; NNC-0113-0217; NNC0113-0217; Semaglutide; Ozempic; Rybelsus; NN9535; UNII-53AXN4NNHX; Wegovy; NN 9535;

2934.99.9001

Powder      -20°C    3 years

                     4°C     2 years

In solvent   -80°C    6 months

                  -20°C    1 month

Note: Please store this product in a sealed and protected environment, avoid exposure to moisture.

Room temperature (This product is stable at ambient temperature for a few days during ordinary shipping and time spent in Customs)

H2O: ~50 mg/mL (~12.2 mM)
DMSO: ~5 mg/mL (~1.2 mM)

Note: Please refer to the "Guidelines for Dissolving Peptides" section in the 4th page of the "Instructions for use" file (upper-right section of this webpage) for how to dissolve peptides.

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Note: Listed below are some common formulations that may be used to formulate products with low water solubility (e.g. < 1 mg/mL), you may test these formulations using a minute amount of products to avoid loss of samples.

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Injection Formulation 1: DMSO : Tween 80： Saline = 10 : 5 : 85 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO stock solution → 50 μL Tween 80 → 850 μL Saline)
*Preparation of saline: Dissolve 0.9 g of sodium chloride in 100 mL ddH ₂ O to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 2: DMSO : PEG300 ：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 3: DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL Corn oil)
Example: Take the Injection Formulation 3 (DMSO : Corn oil = 10 : 90) as an example, if 1 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can take 100 μL 25 mg/mL DMSO stock solution and add to 900 μL corn oil, mix well to obtain a clear or suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

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Injection Formulation 4: DMSO : 20% SBE-β-CD in saline = 10 : 90 [i.e. 100 μL DMSO → 900 μL (20% SBE-β-CD in saline)]
*Preparation of 20% SBE-β-CD in Saline (4°C，1 week): Dissolve 2 g SBE-β-CD in 10 mL saline to obtain a clear solution.
Injection Formulation 5: 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin : Saline = 50 : 50 (i.e. 500 μL 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin → 500 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 6: DMSO : PEG300 : castor oil : Saline = 5 : 10 : 20 : 65 (i.e. 50 μL DMSO → 100 μLPEG300 → 200 μL castor oil → 650 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 7: Ethanol : Cremophor : Saline = 10： 10 : 80 (i.e. 100 μL Ethanol → 100 μL Cremophor → 800 μL Saline)
Injection Formulation 8: Dissolve in Cremophor/Ethanol (50 : 50), then diluted by Saline
Injection Formulation 9: EtOH : Corn oil = 10 : 90 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 900 μL Corn oil)
Injection Formulation 10: EtOH : PEG300：Tween 80 : Saline = 10 : 40 : 5 : 45 (i.e. 100 μL EtOH → 400 μLPEG300 → 50 μL Tween 80 → 450 μL Saline)

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Oral Formulation 1: Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na (carboxymethylcellulose sodium)
Oral Formulation 2: Suspend in 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Example: Take the Oral Formulation 1 (Suspend in 0.5% CMC Na) as an example, if 100 mL of 2.5 mg/mL working solution is to be prepared, you can first prepare 0.5% CMC Na solution by measuring 0.5 g CMC Na and dissolve it in 100 mL ddH2O to obtain a clear solution; then add 250 mg of the product to 100 mL 0.5% CMC Na solution, to make the suspension solution (2.5 mg/mL, ready for use in animals).

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Oral Formulation 3: Dissolved in PEG400
Oral Formulation 4: Suspend in 0.2% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 5: Dissolve in 0.25% Tween 80 and 0.5% Carboxymethyl cellulose
Oral Formulation 6: Mixing with food powders

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Note: Please be aware that the above formulations are for reference only. InvivoChem strongly recommends customers to read literature methods/protocols carefully before determining which formulation you should use for in vivo studies, as different compounds have different solubility properties and have to be formulated differently.

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 (Please use freshly prepared in vivo formulations for optimal results.)