Mounjaro vs Ozempic
Mounjaro Vs Ozempic
Are Mounjaro and Ozempic in the same drug class?
Mounjaro and Ozempic are both in the class of drugs known as incretin mimetics but have some differences. Mounjaro acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors, while Ozempic acts only on GLP-1 receptors; however, both drugs are effective treatments for type 2 diabetes.
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide), from Eli Lilly, is a dual-acting GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist. GIP and GLP-1 are both natural incretin hormones. Mounjaro lowers fasting and postprandial glucose concentration, decreases food intake, and reduces body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Ozempic (semaglutide), from Novo Nordisk, is a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist. It binds to GLP-1 receptors and stimulates insulin release from the pancreas when needed. It slows down how fast food travels through your digestive tract. This can help you feel fuller for longer, reduce how much you eat, and lead to weight loss.
These medicines should not be used together or with other GLP-1 or GIP receptor agonists.
How are they given?
Both Mounjaro and Ozempic are given as weekly injections under the skin (subcutaneously) in the stomach area (abdomen), thigh or upper arm. You, or a caregiver, can learn to give these injections at home using an injector pen.
- The recommended starting dose of Mounjaro is 2.5 mg subcutaneously once weekly, increasing to 5 mg once weekly after 4 weeks. The maximum dosage is 15 mg subcutaneously once weekly.
- The recommended starting dose of Ozempic is 0.25 mg given subcutaneously once weekly. After 4 weeks, the dose is increased to 0.5 mg once weekly. The maximum recommended dose of Ozempic is 2 mg weekly.
- You will start with low doses to help prevent common stomach side effects like nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite or diarrhea. Other common stomach side effects may include constipation, indigestion, and stomach (abdominal) pain.
Which is more effective - Mounjaro or Ozempic?
Mounjaro was compared to semaglutide (Ozempic) in the 40-week, Phase 3 SURPASS-2 study with over 1,870 participants. Researchers sought to see how these drugs affected A1C reduction. A key secondary endpoint was the amount of weight lost. Neither Mounjaro or Ozempic are approved for weight loss at this time, but in patients with type 2 diabetes, they may lead to some weight reduction.
Mounjaro 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg injections were compared to semaglutide (Ozempic) 1 mg injections in adults with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugars were not controlled with 1,500 mg/day of metformin alone. Patients in the study had an A1C of 8.3% and a weight of 94.1 kg (207 lb) at the beginning of the study.
- Mounjaro reduced the A1C by 2% to 2.3% compared to a 1.9% reduction for participants in the semaglutide (Ozempic) 1 mg group.
- Mounjaro led to weight loss of 7.7 kg (17 lb) to 11.4 kg (25 lb), on average, compared to 5.9 kg (13 lb) for semaglutide (Ozempic).
- Of note, Ozempic is now approved in a higher 2 mg dose, and effectiveness compared to Mounjaro with this higher dose may vary. The 2 mg dose was approved by the FDA in March 2022.
How do side effects compare between Mounjaro and Ozempic?
Gastrointestinal (digestive tract) side effects are the most common side effects for both Mounjaro and Ozempic, and incretin mimetics in general. Stomach side effects are most frequent when doses are first initiated. Slowly increasing the dose, as recommended by your healthcare provider, may help to reduce stomach side effects.
Rates of side effects cannot be compared outside of direct comparative clinical studies as patient populations, doses and study designs may differ.
Side Effects: Mounjaro
In Mounjaro studies, the most commonly reported side effects, compared to a placebo (an inactive agent) are:
- Nausea: 12% to 18% (vs. 3% on placebo)
- Diarrhea: 12% to 17% (vs. 9% on placebo)
- Decreased appetite: 5% to 11% (vs. 1% on placebo)
- Vomiting: 5% to 9% (vs. 2% on placebo)
- Constipation: 6% to 7% (vs. 1% on placebo)
- Heartburn (dyspepsia): 5% to 8% (vs. 3% on placebo)
- Stomach (abdominal) pain: 5% to 6% (vs. 4% on placebo)
Overall, stomach side effects occurred in 37% to 44% of Mounjaro-treated patients (compared to 20% of patients on a placebo). In addition, 3% to 6.6% of patients receiving Mounjaro stopped treatment due to gastrointestinal side effects (like nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea) compared to placebo (0.4%).
Other reported side effects for Mounjaro included: hypoglycemia, increased heart rate, allergic reactions, injection site reactions, acute gallbladder disease, increases in amylase and lipase.
Side Effects: Ozempic
The most common side effects with Ozempic are:
- Nausea: 16% to 20% (vs. 6% on placebo)
- Diarrhea: 8.5% to 9% (vs. 1.9% on placebo)
- Vomiting: 5% to 9% (vs. 2.3% on placebo)
- Constipation: 3% to 5% (vs. 1.5% on placebo)
- Heartburn (dyspepsia): 2.7% to 3.5% (vs. 1.9% on placebo)
- Stomach (abdominal) pain: 6% to 7% (vs. 4.6% on placebo)
Overall, stomach side effects occurred in 33% to 36% of Ozempic-treated patients (compared to 15% of patients on a placebo). In addition, 3.1% to 3.8% of patients receiving Ozempic stopped treatment due to gastrointestinal side effects compared to 0.4% of the placebo group.
Other reported side effects for Ozempic included: hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), injection site reactions, elevated amylase and lipase, cholelithiasis (gallstones), increases in heart rate, and fatigue, dysgeusia (altered taste), allergic reactions and dizziness.
The labeling for both Mounjaro and Ozempic carry Boxed Warnings for possible thyroid tumors, including cancer, which has been seen in animal studies.
Do not use Mounjaro if:
- you or your family has a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or
- if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
- Discuss this further with your healthcare provider.
These are not all of the side effects or warnings for these drugs. For more information, see:
We’d Love To Hear From You!
