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Side-by-side comparison

Ozempic vs Mounjaro

Ozempic contains semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk. Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, made by Eli Lilly. Both brands are approved for type 2 diabetes. The core difference is in the molecule: semaglutide copies one gut hormone, tirzepatide copies two.

Last verified 2026-09-29 · how we verify

In plain English

The real difference

  • Ozempic acts on the GLP-1 receptor. Mounjaro acts on the GIP receptor and GLP-1 receptor.[src][src]
  • Both are approved medicines.[src][src]
  • Ozempic is made by Novo Nordisk; Mounjaro by Eli Lilly.
  • Ozempic is taken as a once-weekly injection or once-daily tablet; Mounjaro as a once-weekly injection.
  • Half-life (how long until half the drug has left the blood): Ozempic, about 1 week (elimination half-life); the drug stays in the blood for about 5 weeks after the last injection; Mounjaro, about 5 days (5 to 6 days in adults with obesity).[src][src]
  • Our sources include a head-to-head trial of the two molecules. SURMOUNT-5 versus semaglutide: -20.2% with tirzepatide versus -13.7% with semaglutide at 72 weeks (751 adults, open-label).[src]

Which one suits a person is a decision for them and their clinician.

Ozempic and Mounjaro, side by side

Ozempic compared with Mounjaro
Ozempicsemaglutide · Novo NordiskMounjarotirzepatide · Eli Lilly
The basics
MoleculeSemaglutideTirzepatide
Brand namesOzempicMounjaro
MakerNovo NordiskEli Lilly
Acts onThe hormone receptors the drug switches onGLP-1 receptorGIP receptor, GLP-1 receptor
Approved to treat
  • Type 2 diabetes; lowering the risk of major heart events in adults with type 2 diabetes (injection: those with established heart disease; tablets: those at high risk); lowering kidney-disease and heart-death risk in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (injection only)
  • Type 2 diabetes (adults and children 10 and older); reducing major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk (US label)
How it is takenApproved as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection (Ozempic, Wegovy) or as a once-daily oral tablet co-formulated with SNAC (Rybelsus, Ozempic tablets, Wegovy tablets), prescribed and supervised by a clinician.Subcutaneous injection, given once a week, supplied as prefilled pens or vials
Half-lifeHow long until half the drug has left the bloodAbout 1 week (elimination half-life); the drug stays in the blood for about 5 weeks after the last injection[src]About 5 days (5 to 6 days in adults with obesity)[src]
Evidence and safety
Evidence levelSame for both
Approved. Approved by a major regulator after large trials.
Approvals and filings
  • FDA approval, Ozempic. Original FDA approval on 5 December 2017 (injection, type 2 diabetes).[src]
  • EMA authorisation, Ozempic. Authorised in the European Union on 8 February 2018 for type 2 diabetes.[src]
  • FDA approval for type 2 diabetes. Approved on 13 May 2022 as Mounjaro, to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes as an addition to diet and exercise.[src]
  • EU authorisation. Marketing authorisation for Mounjaro granted on 15 September 2022; the EU indications cover type 2 diabetes (adults and children 10 and older) and weight management in adults. Sleep apnea is not a separate EU indication.[src]
Key trial resultsTrials test the molecule, not a brand; each result names its population
  • STEP 1 weight result. Mean weight change at 68 weeks was -14.9% with semaglutide versus -2.4% with placebo (1,961 adults, plus lifestyle intervention).[src]
  • SELECT heart outcomes. Major cardiovascular events occurred in 6.5% on semaglutide versus 8.0% on placebo (hazard ratio 0.80; 17,604 adults with heart disease and overweight or obesity, no diabetes).[src]
  • SURMOUNT-1 weight change at 72 weeks. -20.9% at the highest of three maintenance doses versus -3.1% with placebo (2,539 adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, and without diabetes).[src]
  • SURMOUNT-5 versus semaglutide. -20.2% with tirzepatide versus -13.7% with semaglutide at 72 weeks (751 adults, open-label).[src]
Known safety signals
  • Boxed warning: in rodents semaglutide caused dose- and duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumours at clinically relevant exposures. Whether it does so in humans is unknown. It is contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or with MEN 2.[src]
  • Gastrointestinal effects are the most common adverse reactions. In the pooled weight-management trials of Wegovy injection versus placebo, nausea occurred in 44% versus 16%, diarrhoea 30% versus 16%, vomiting 24% versus 6% and constipation 24% versus 11%.[src]
  • The label warns of acute pancreatitis, acute gallbladder disease (cholelithiasis in 1.6% of adults on Wegovy injection versus 0.7% on placebo in weight-reduction trials), acute kidney injury from volume depletion, and hypersensitivity reactions.[src]
  • In SUSTAIN-6, diabetic retinopathy complications were higher with semaglutide than placebo (hazard ratio 1.76; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.78) in people with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk.[src]
  • Because semaglutide delays gastric emptying, there are rare post-marketing reports of pulmonary aspiration during general anaesthesia or deep sedation in people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists.[src]
  • Compounded semaglutide products are not FDA-approved. As of 31 May 2026 the FDA had received 990 adverse-event reports associated with compounded semaglutide. The FDA notes these events are likely underreported, because federal law does not require state-licensed pharmacies that are not outsourcing facilities to report them.[src]
  • Boxed warning: in rats, tirzepatide caused thyroid C-cell tumours at clinically relevant exposures. It is unknown whether it causes these tumours, including medullary thyroid carcinoma, in humans. It is contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2.[src]
  • In SURPASS-2, the most common adverse events with tirzepatide were gastrointestinal and mostly mild to moderate: nausea in 17 to 22%, diarrhoea in 13 to 16% and vomiting in 6 to 10% of the three tirzepatide groups. Serious adverse events were reported in 5 to 7% of tirzepatide patients and 3% of semaglutide patients.[src]
  • US labels list nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain and dyspepsia among the most common adverse reactions (5% or more of patients), and warn of serious gastrointestinal reactions (not recommended in severe gastroparesis), acute kidney injury from dehydration, acute gallbladder disease and acute pancreatitis.[src]
  • The label states that the risk of hypoglycaemia, including severe hypoglycaemia, is increased when tirzepatide is used with insulin or an insulin secretagogue such as a sulfonylurea.[src]
  • Because it delays gastric emptying, tirzepatide can affect the absorption of oral medicines, and there are rare postmarketing reports of pulmonary aspiration in people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists who had elective procedures under general anaesthesia or deep sedation.[src]
  • Other label warnings include serious hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylaxis, angioedema) reported after marketing, monitoring for diabetic retinopathy complications in people with type 2 diabetes and a history of retinopathy, and possible fetal harm in pregnancy.[src]
Legal status
United States
Approved

FDA-approved as Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy; compounded copies lost their shortage cover in 2025 and 503B is proposing a formal exclusion[src]

Full detail →
Approved

FDA-approved as Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (weight management, sleep apnea); shortage over since December 2024[src]

Full detail →
United Kingdom
Approved

Licensed in the UK: Ozempic and Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes, Wegovy for weight management (now also as a tablet)[src]

Full detail →
Approved

Licensed in the UK as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and for weight management; NHS access is being phased in[src]

Full detail →
European Union
Approved

Authorised EU-wide for type 2 diabetes, weight management and MASH (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, Kayshild)[src]

Full detail →
Approved

Authorised EU-wide as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and for weight management in adults[src]

Full detail →
Australia
Approved

Approved on the ARTG as Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy. PBS covers Ozempic for type 2 diabetes; Wegovy is not yet PBS-listed. Compounded copies barred since 1 Oct 2024.[src]

Full detail →
Approved

Approved as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes (Dec 2022) and weight management (Sep 2024). Not PBS-listed: the sponsor is not proceeding for now. Compounding barred since Oct 2024.[src]

Full detail →
Canada
Generics available

Approved as Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy; generic semaglutide approved from April 2026 and on sale since May 2026[src]

Full detail →
Approved

Approved as Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (weight management, sleep apnea); no generic submissions[src]

Full detail →

Trial results come from separate studies unless a row says it is a head-to-head trial. Populations, durations and methods differ, so compare numbers across columns with care.

Go deeper

Molecule

Semaglutide explained →Watch the 3D body journey →

Molecule

Tirzepatide explained →Watch the 3D body journey →

Educational information only. Not medical advice, not a recommendation to use any substance, and not an offer to supply. Talk to a licensed clinician about your own care.

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