Dulaglutide vs semaglutide
What the research says about each, side by side. Every row comes from the studies and drug labels in the last row. More on each: Dulaglutide and Semaglutide.
| Dulaglutide | Semaglutide | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | GLP-1 and metabolic | GLP-1 and metabolic |
| Evidence | Extensive clinical research | Extensive clinical research |
| FDA status | FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes since 2014. | FDA-approved as Ozempic (2017), Rybelsus (2019) and Wegovy (2021). Wegovy was also approved for lowering heart attack and stroke risk in 2024. Compounded copies aren't FDA-approved. |
| How it works | GLP-1 action fused to part of an antibody, which keeps it in the blood for days. It boosts insulin when sugar is high, slows the stomach and reduces appetite. | It switches on GLP-1 receptors in the pancreas, gut and brain. That helps the pancreas release insulin when blood sugar is high, slows how fast the stomach empties, and quiets hunger signals in the brain, so people feel full sooner and think about food less. |
| Half-life | About 5 days. Levels peak 1–3 days after a shot and level out after 2–4 weeks of weekly shots. | About 7 days, so weekly shots build to a steady level after 4–5 weeks. Levels peak 1–3 days after a shot. The daily pill peaks about an hour after taking it. |
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