Short answer: Ozempic, Mounjaro, Trulicity and Victoza are FDA approved, with diet and exercise, to improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes. In placebo-controlled trials on their labels, Ozempic lowered A1C by 1.4 to 1.6 points and Mounjaro by 1.7 to 1.8 points. They are not approved for type 1 diabetes. Tracking A1C, fasting glucose and doses together shows your trend.
| Compound | Best evidence | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide (Ozempic) | FDA-approved for this | In a 30-week placebo trial on the label, A1C fell 1.4 points on 0.5 mg and 1.6 points on 1 mg versus 0.1 on placebo. |
| Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) | FDA-approved for this | In SURPASS-1 (40 weeks), A1C fell 1.8, 1.7 and 1.7 points on 5, 10 and 15 mg versus 0.1 on placebo. |
| Dulaglutide (Trulicity) | FDA-approved for this | Approved for blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 and older, and to lower heart risk in some adults. |
| Liraglutide (Victoza) | FDA-approved for this | Approved for blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes in adults and children 10 and older. Same molecule as Saxenda, but a different product and dose. |
| Retatrutide | Human trials | Tested in type 2 diabetes trials but not FDA approved as of October 2026. |
| CagriSema | Human trials | In REDEFINE 2 (type 2 diabetes, 68 weeks), 73.5% reached an A1C of 6.5% or lower versus 15.9% on placebo. Not approved. |
"Animal or lab studies only" means no published human trial for this goal that we could find. Results in rats or cells often do not carry over to people. Compounds that are not FDA-approved have no tested label for dose, purity or safety.
All four labels share the same core use: as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. In plain words, they are added to diet and exercise to bring blood sugar down. Each also has a heart indication, and Ozempic has a kidney one.
| Drug | Blood sugar indication | Other approved uses |
|---|---|---|
| Ozempic (semaglutide) | Adults with type 2 diabetes | Lower risk of heart attack, stroke or heart death in adults with heart disease; lower risk of kidney decline, kidney failure and heart death in adults with chronic kidney disease |
| Mounjaro (tirzepatide) | Adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes | Lower risk of major heart events in adults at high risk |
| Trulicity (dulaglutide) | Adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes | Lower risk of major heart events in adults with heart disease or several risk factors |
| Victoza (liraglutide) | Adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes | Lower risk of major heart events in adults with heart disease |
Wegovy and Zepbound contain the same molecules as Ozempic and Mounjaro but are labeled for weight management. See weight loss.
A1C is a blood test that reflects your average blood sugar over roughly the past 2 to 3 months. A drop of 1 point means going, for example, from 8.0% to 7.0%.
From the placebo-controlled monotherapy trials in section 14 of each label: Ozempic lowered A1C by 1.4 points (0.5 mg) and 1.6 points (1 mg) at 30 weeks, versus 0.1 on placebo. Mounjaro lowered it by 1.8 points (5 mg) and 1.7 points (10 mg and 15 mg) at 40 weeks, versus 0.1 on placebo. These were people whose diabetes was not controlled by diet and exercise alone.
| Test | Normal | Prediabetes | Diabetes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1C | Below 5.7% | 5.7% to 6.4% | 6.5% or above |
| Fasting blood sugar | 99 mg/dL or below | 100 to 125 mg/dL | 126 mg/dL or above |
| 2-hour glucose tolerance test | 140 mg/dL or below | 140 to 199 mg/dL | 200 mg/dL or above |
Terms on this page: GLP-1 receptor agonist · GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) · Titration (dose escalation)