Ozempic is not tirzepatide. Ozempic is semaglutide, a GLP-1 drug approved for type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide is a different drug that acts on two receptors, GLP-1 and GIP, and is sold as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for weight management. In the SURPASS-2 trial, every tirzepatide dose beat semaglutide 1 mg on both A1c and weight. If you are new to the drug, read our tirzepatide guide first.
Key takeaways
- Ozempic contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Tirzepatide is a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound.
- SURPASS-2 (40 weeks, type 2 diabetes): tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg lowered A1c by 2.01, 2.24 and 2.30 points versus 1.86 for semaglutide 1 mg, and cut weight by 7.6, 9.3 and 11.2 kg versus 5.7 kg.
- Both are once-weekly injections with stomach effects as the most common side effects.
- Mounjaro is the tirzepatide product that matches Ozempic's use, type 2 diabetes.
- Compounded tirzepatide and compounded semaglutide are not FDA approved and are not interchangeable with Ozempic, Mounjaro or Zepbound.
Is tirzepatide the same as Ozempic?
No. They are two different molecules from two different companies. Ozempic is Novo Nordisk's brand of semaglutide. Tirzepatide is Eli Lilly's molecule, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound. Both belong to the same broad family of gut hormone drugs, and both are injected once a week, which is why people mix them up. But "is Ozempic tirzepatide" has a one-word answer: no.
| Feature | Ozempic | Tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Semaglutide. | Tirzepatide. |
| Receptors | GLP-1. | GLP-1 and GIP. |
| Labeled use | Type 2 diabetes. | Mounjaro: type 2 diabetes. Zepbound: chronic weight management; obstructive sleep apnea with obesity. |
| How taken | Once-weekly injection. | Once-weekly injection. |
| Tirzepatide strengths | Not applicable. | 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 mg. |
| Head-to-head trial | SURPASS-2: tirzepatide versus semaglutide 1 mg in type 2 diabetes, 40 weeks. | |
Source: Mounjaro and Zepbound prescribing information (DailyMed); SURPASS-2, Frias et al., NEJM 2021.
What is the difference in how they work?
Both drugs copy gut hormones released after meals. Those hormones tell the pancreas to release insulin when sugar is high, slow the stomach, and lower appetite. Semaglutide copies one hormone, GLP-1. Tirzepatide copies two: GLP-1 and GIP, which stands for glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide. The second receptor is the working explanation for tirzepatide's larger effect in the head-to-head trial. The trial measured results, not mechanism, so treat the explanation as the current best account rather than settled fact.
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Take the Assessment →Is tirzepatide better than Ozempic? SURPASS-2 results
SURPASS-2 is the direct comparison. It randomized adults with type 2 diabetes to one of three tirzepatide doses or to semaglutide 1 mg for 40 weeks.
| SURPASS-2 arm (40 weeks) | A1c change (percentage points) | Weight change (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Tirzepatide 5 mg | -2.01 | -7.6 |
| Tirzepatide 10 mg | -2.24 | -9.3 |
| Tirzepatide 15 mg | -2.30 | -11.2 |
| Semaglutide 1 mg (Ozempic dose) | -1.86 | -5.7 |
Source: SURPASS-2, Frias et al., NEJM 2021.
Two cautions. First, 1 mg was the semaglutide dose in the trial; Ozempic has other labeled doses, and we do not print its dosing because the Ozempic label is not in our verified list. Second, this was a diabetes trial. For weight loss in people without diabetes, the head-to-head trial is SURMOUNT-5, which compared tirzepatide with semaglutide at the Wegovy dose and found 20.2% versus 13.7% mean weight loss at 72 weeks.
Ozempic vs tirzepatide weight loss
Neither Ozempic nor Mounjaro is labeled for weight loss; those are the diabetes products. The weight results still show up in the diabetes trials, as the SURPASS-2 table shows. For the weight management labels, compare Wegovy (semaglutide) with Zepbound (tirzepatide) instead. Tirzepatide's placebo-controlled weight numbers come from SURMOUNT-1: 15.0% at 5 mg, 19.5% at 10 mg and 20.9% at 15 mg over 72 weeks, versus 3.1% on placebo.
Tirzepatide vs Ozempic side effects
The side effect profiles overlap because both drugs act on the gut. The tirzepatide label lists nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, injection site reactions, fatigue, hypersensitivity reactions, burping, hair loss and reflux as the reactions seen in at least 5% of people and more often than placebo. Both labels carry a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rats, and both are contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2.
| Tirzepatide label warning | What it says |
|---|---|
| Boxed warning | Thyroid C-cell tumors in rats; human risk unknown. |
| Pancreatitis | Stop and seek care if severe abdominal pain develops. |
| Gallbladder disease | Reported; evaluate if symptoms occur. |
| Kidney injury | From fluid loss after vomiting or diarrhea. |
| Hypoglycemia | Higher risk when combined with insulin or sulfonylureas. |
| Diabetic retinopathy complications in type 2 diabetes (Mounjaro; added to the Zepbound label 08/2026) | Monitor patients with a history of retinopathy. |
| Oral drugs | Slower stomach emptying can change absorption of oral medicines. |
Source: Mounjaro and Zepbound prescribing information (DailyMed), Warnings and Precautions.
We do not print Ozempic's side effect rates because the Ozempic label and the semaglutide trials are not in our verified list. Which drug has worse side effects for you is not something a trial average can answer; it is something you and your prescriber find out.
Tirzepatide vs Ozempic cost
Ozempic prices are not printed here because they are not in our verified list. What we can print: Zepbound vials through LillyDirect self-pay cost $299 a month at 2.5 mg, $399 at 5 mg, $499 at 7.5 mg and $699 at 10, 12.5 and 15 mg. FormBlends compounded tirzepatide is $149 for the first month, then $239 a month, or $214 with Subscribe & Save. FormBlends compounded semaglutide is $99 for the first month, then $190, or $165 with Subscribe & Save. Prices do not change with dose, shipping and injection supplies are included, and there is no membership fee. See pricing.
What this means for compounded tirzepatide
All of the trial numbers above come from the branded drugs. Compounded tirzepatide and compounded semaglutide are not FDA approved, are not interchangeable with Ozempic, Mounjaro or Zepbound, and have no trial data of their own. Switching from Ozempic to tirzepatide, or the other way, is a prescriber decision; the Zepbound label says coadministration with any GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended, so the two are not used together. A licensed provider decides whether a compounded product is appropriate for you; the assessment is where that happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tirzepatide the same as Ozempic?
No. Ozempic is semaglutide, which acts on the GLP-1 receptor. Tirzepatide acts on GLP-1 and GIP and is sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound. They are different molecules from different companies.
Is tirzepatide better than Ozempic?
In SURPASS-2, all three tirzepatide doses lowered A1c more than semaglutide 1 mg (2.01 to 2.30 points versus 1.86) and produced more weight loss (7.6 to 11.2 kg versus 5.7 kg) over 40 weeks. Better on average does not mean better for every person.
Tirzepatide vs Ozempic side effects: which is worse?
Both cause mainly stomach effects and carry the same boxed thyroid warning. We do not have verified Ozempic rates to compare. On tirzepatide, nausea in SURMOUNT-1 ranged from 24.6% to 33.3% versus 9.5% on placebo, mostly during dose increases.
Tirzepatide vs Ozempic cost: which is cheaper?
We do not print Ozempic prices. Compounded tirzepatide at FormBlends is $149 the first month, then $239 or $214 with Subscribe & Save; compounded semaglutide is $99, then $190 or $165. Zepbound vials self-pay run $299 to $699 a month by dose.
Is Ozempic tirzepatide?
No. Ozempic is semaglutide. The tirzepatide product for type 2 diabetes is Mounjaro; the tirzepatide product for weight management is Zepbound.
Sources
- Tirzepatide versus Semaglutide Once Weekly in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (SURPASS-2), Frias et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2021.
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information, DailyMed, National Library of Medicine, revised 08/2026.
- Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information, DailyMed, National Library of Medicine, revised 08/2026.
- Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity (SURMOUNT-1), Jastreboff et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2022.
- Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity (SURMOUNT-5), Aronne et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2025.
- FormBlends pricing, Form Blends LLC, verified September 5, 2026.
Next steps
Watch our short video on the difference between Ozempic and Mounjaro. For the full drug comparison, read semaglutide vs tirzepatide; for the weight brands, is Wegovy the same as tirzepatide; and for the names, what is the brand name for tirzepatide. Browse the tirzepatide hub for every other tirzepatide question. Talk to a clinician before you choose or switch. Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA approved and is not interchangeable with Zepbound or Mounjaro; a licensed provider decides whether it is appropriate for you.
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