Ozempic vs Wegovy vs Mounjaro vs Zepbound
In short
Ozempic and Wegovy are the same medicine, semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk. Mounjaro and Zepbound are the same medicine, tirzepatide, made by Eli Lilly. Ozempic and Mounjaro are approved for type 2 diabetes. Wegovy and Zepbound are approved for long-term weight reduction. All four come as weekly shots, and Wegovy also comes as a daily pill.1‑4
Which drug is which?
| Brand | Medicine | Maker | Approved for, per the label | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozempic | semaglutide | Novo Nordisk | Blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart death in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Lowering the risk of kidney decline, kidney failure and heart death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. | Weekly shot: multi-dose pen or single-dose syringe (label) |
| Wegovy | semaglutide | Novo Nordisk | Long-term weight reduction in adults with obesity, adults with overweight and a weight-related condition, and children 12 and older with obesity. Lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart death in adults with heart disease and obesity or overweight. A liver disease, MASH with moderate to advanced scarring, in adults (accelerated approval). | Weekly shot: single-dose pen or FlexTouch pen. Also a daily tablet (label) |
| Mounjaro | tirzepatide | Eli Lilly | Blood sugar control in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. Lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart death in adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk. | Weekly shot: single-dose pen, single-dose vial, multi-dose vial or KwikPen (label) |
| Zepbound | tirzepatide | Eli Lilly | Long-term weight reduction in adults with obesity, or overweight and a weight-related condition. Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity. | Weekly shot: single-dose pen, single-dose vial, multi-dose vial or KwikPen (label) |
Each row is section 1 (Indications and Usage) and section 3 (Dosage Forms) of the label, in plain words. Dose strengths are left out on purpose.
Are Ozempic and Wegovy the same drug?
Same medicine, different labels. Both contain semaglutide and both come from Novo Nordisk. Ozempic is approved "to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus" (Ozempic label). Wegovy is approved "to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term" (Wegovy label). They come in different pens and strengths.
The Wegovy label says using it "with other semaglutide-containing products or with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended."
Are Mounjaro and Zepbound the same drug?
Same medicine, different labels. Both contain tirzepatide and both come from Eli Lilly. Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes in "adults and pediatric patients 10 years of age and older" (Mounjaro label). Zepbound is approved for weight reduction and "to treat moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults with obesity" (Zepbound label).
The Zepbound label says: "ZEPBOUND contains tirzepatide. Coadministration with other tirzepatide-containing products or with any glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist is not recommended."
What's the difference between semaglutide and tirzepatide?
They act on different targets. The Ozempic label calls semaglutide a "glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist." The Mounjaro label calls tirzepatide a "glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist." So semaglutide acts on one hormone receptor and tirzepatide on two. More in semaglutide vs tirzepatide.
Which ones are approved for weight loss?
Wegovy and Zepbound. Their labels cover long-term weight reduction alongside "a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity." The Ozempic and Mounjaro labels cover type 2 diabetes and heart risk, not weight. Which one fits a person is a call for their prescriber.
Is Rybelsus the same as Ozempic?
Same medicine in a different form. Rybelsus and Ozempic tablets are semaglutide pills for type 2 diabetes, approved for blood sugar control and lowering heart risk in adults at high risk (Rybelsus label). The Wegovy pill is semaglutide too, approved for weight reduction. All three are on the oral semaglutide page.
Do all four have the same warnings?
All four labels open with the same boxed warning, "Risk of thyroid C-cell tumors," based on tumors seen in rodents. All four say not to use them with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2. The common side effects, with each label's figures, are in GLP-1 side effects across the labels.
Are compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide the same as these brands?
No. Compounded versions are not FDA-approved, and FDA doesn't review them before they're sold. What FDA says, quoted, is in compounded vs brand GLP-1.
Sources
- Ozempic (semaglutide) injection prescribing information DailyMed, checked Nov 6, 2026
- Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets prescribing information DailyMed, checked Nov 6, 2026
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection prescribing information DailyMed, checked Nov 6, 2026
- Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection prescribing information DailyMed, checked Nov 6, 2026
- Rybelsus and Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets prescribing information DailyMed, checked Nov 6, 2026
PepBloom is for tracking and education. It isn't medical advice. Talk to your prescriber.
