What is tirzepatide?

Tirzepatide is a once-weekly dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist (Mounjaro for diabetes, Zepbound for weight loss) with the highest average weight loss of any FDA-approved GLP-1 medication.

Tirzepatide is a once-weekly dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist (Mounjaro for diabetes, Zepbound for weight loss) with the highest average weight loss of any FDA-approved GLP-1 medication. Tirzepatide activates two gut-hormone receptors — GIP and GLP-1 — instead of just one. Made by Eli Lilly, it's sold as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for weight management and obstructive sleep apnea with obesity. It's titrated up in 2.5 mg steps from 2.5 mg to a maximum of 15 mg per week. Zepbound's recommended maintenance doses are 5, 10, or 15 mg. In SURMOUNT-1, average weight loss at 72 weeks was about 15% to 21% depending on dose. In the SURMOUNT-5 head-to-head trial, people on their highest tolerated dose of tirzepatide (10 or 15 mg) lost more weight than those on semaglutide (1.7 or 2.4 mg): about 20% vs 14% at 72 weeks.

Related pages

• Mounjaro tracker
• Zepbound tracker
• Mounjaro vs Zepbound
• GLP-1 glossary

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