Wegovy Vs Mounjaro Vs Ozempic: Obesity And Diabetes Treatment Drugs Compared
Mounjaro was launched in India earlier this year, while many leading multinational pharma companies are in the race to introduce Ozempic in the domestic market.
Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk launched its much-anticipated weight-loss drug Wegovy in India on Tuesday. The once-weekly injectable medication, already in use in the United States and Europe, is now available in India for obesity and diabetes patients.
It has become the first drug in India to receive approval for both long-term weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction in people with obesity or overweight-related health conditions, Reuters reported.
Wegovy is not alone in this new pharmaceutical frontier. With Mounjaro (tirzepatide) gaining popularity globally and Ozempic (semaglutide) being used off-label for weight loss, many patients and clinicians could now be evaluating which one works best and for whom.
Let’s take a look at the key details about the three major weight-loss drugs— Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic.
What Are These Medications?
All three drugs, Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro, are injectable therapies originally designed to treat type 2 diabetes. Their ability to regulate hunger and support weight loss has also shed light on their use in obesity care.
Wegovy and Ozempic both contain semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist that mimics a hormone responsible for controlling appetite and insulin secretion. The difference lies in dosage: Wegovy uses up to 2.4 mg per week for weight loss, while Ozempic typically maxes out at 2 mg for blood sugar management, as per the USFDA.
Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, a dual GIP and GLP-1 agonist, which means it targets two hunger-regulating hormones instead of one. This dual action leads to even more significant weight loss results.
How Effective Are They?
Head-to-head trials and large-scale studies show clear differences in effectiveness.
Wegovy, based on data from the STEP trials published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), helps patients lose an average of 15-17% of their body weight.
Ozempic, though chemically similar to Wegovy, is typically used at a lower dose and results in about 6-7% weight loss, according to USFDA documentation.
Mounjaro, containing tirzepatide, has shown the most significant results, with patients losing an average of 20-23% of their body weight, as reported in the NEJM and confirmed by a 2024 study in The Lancet.
That same Lancet trial found that tirzepatide helped a significantly higher proportion of patients achieve at least 15% weight loss compared to semaglutide.
In real-world settings, Mounjaro users were three times more likely to reach or exceed the 15% weight-loss benchmark than those on Ozempic, the Healthline reported, citing a recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Side Effects
All three medications are associated with gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.
According to a Health.com analysis, some patients may tolerate tirzepatide (Mounjaro) better, particularly when it comes to vomiting, though individual responses vary.
Serious but rare risks include thyroid tumors, pancreatitis, kidney dysfunction, and gallbladder disease. The FDA mandates a boxed warning for all these drugs due to thyroid C-cell tumor risks seen in animal studies. None should be used by individuals with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN-2 syndrome, as per the National Institute of Health
Cost In India
Wegovy is priced at:
-0.25-1 mg doses: Rs 17,345/month
-1.7 mg dose: Rs 24,280/month
-Full 2.4 mg dose: Rs 26,015/month
Mounjaro, launched in India earlier this year, is expected to have similar pricing, though official retail prices are still awaited.
Ozempic is not yet available for weight management in India, though widely prescribed for diabetes management overseas.
