How does Mounjaro compare to Saxenda and Wegovy?
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) generally leads to greater weight loss than Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide) in clinical trials. In a head-to-head trial of adults with obesity and no diabetes over 72 weeks, Mounjaro reduced body weight by about 20%, versus about 14% with Wegovy.[1] Separate trial programs show Wegovy typically achieves around 10–18% average weight loss across studies,[2] while Saxenda usually achieves around 6–8% on average, which is less than Wegovy and Mounjaro.[4] All three medicines commonly cause gastrointestinal side effects (such as nausea) during dose escalation, and results depend on dose, duration, and adherence alongside lifestyle measures.[3][2]
- Mounjaro showed about 20% average weight loss at 72 weeks in adults without diabetes, outperforming Wegovy at about 14% in a direct comparison.[1]
- Wegovy trials generally report average losses around 10–18% depending on the study population and duration.[2]
- Saxenda trials typically show average losses around 6–8%, lower than Wegovy and Mounjaro over similar time frames.[4]
- Gastrointestinal side effects are the most common across all three, usually during dose increases and often mild to moderate.[3][1]
- Effect sizes depend on dose and time-on-treatment; higher doses and longer treatment in trials are linked with greater average weight loss.[2]
Sources
- Head-to-head tirzepatide vs semaglutide in adults with obesity (72-week trial) – PubMed [1]
- Comparative efficacy and safety of anti-obesity medications – JAMA Internal Medicine [2]
- Tirzepatide in obesity without diabetes (SURMOUNT-1) – NEJM/PubMed [3]
- Liraglutide 3.0 mg for weight management: efficacy and safety – PMC [4]
- Review of GLP-1 vs dual GIP/GLP-1 agonists for obesity – PMC [5]