[GLP-1 units · Tirzepatide · 15 mg/mL]

How many units is tirzepatide at 15 mg/mL?

Units per label dose · Doses per vial · Label schedule · Reviewed

Short answer: At 15 mg/mL, 2.5 mg of tirzepatide is 0.1667 mL, which is 16.67 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. Every 1 mg is 6.67 units. The units only hold for a vial labeled 15 mg/mL; at another strength the same mg is a different number of units.

Compounded vs FDA-approved. Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA approved, and FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are sold (FDA). Mounjaro and Zepbound single-dose pens each hold one fixed dose, and the KwikPen is set to its labeled dose, so the dose is chosen in mg and there are no syringe units to work out. The labeled single-dose vials are one dose each, and the labeled multi-dose vial gives four doses of 0.6 mL; follow the instructions for use that come with them, not a compounded units chart.

How many units is each label dose at 15 mg/mL?

The rows below are every dose step named in the Mounjaro and Zepbound labels, converted at 15 mg/mL for a U-100 insulin syringe (1 mL = 100 units). Not personalized advice; confirm your dose, in mg and in units, with your prescriber or the dispensing pharmacy.

Tirzepatide 15 mg/mL, U-100 insulin syringe.
DoseNamed in labelVolumeU-100 unitsSmallest syringe that holds it
2.5 mgMounjaro, Zepbound: start0.1667 mL16.67 units (between marks)0.3 mL (30 units)
5 mgMounjaro, Zepbound0.3333 mL33.33 units (between marks)0.5 mL (50 units)
7.5 mgMounjaro, Zepbound0.5 mL50 units0.5 mL (50 units)
10 mgMounjaro, Zepbound0.6667 mL66.67 units (between marks)1 mL (100 units)
12.5 mgMounjaro, Zepbound0.8333 mL83.33 units (between marks)1 mL (100 units)
15 mgMounjaro, Zepbound: max1 mL100 units1 mL (100 units)

"Between marks" means the volume does not land on a printed line, even on a 0.3 mL syringe with half-unit markings. A 1 mL syringe is usually marked every 2 units, so small doses are easier to read on a 0.3 mL or 0.5 mL barrel. See U-40 vs U-100 syringes and how to read the marks.

How many doses are in a vial at 15 mg/mL?

The number of doses depends on how much liquid is in the vial, not only the strength. Check the volume on your vial label, then read across. Counts are whole doses; dead space in the syringe and the last drops in the vial usually take a little more.

Whole doses per vial at 15 mg/mL. Vial volumes are examples.
Dose1 mL vial (15 mg)2 mL vial (30 mg)3 mL vial (45 mg)4 mL vial (60 mg)
2.5 mg6121824
5 mg36912
7.5 mg2468
10 mg1346
12.5 mg1234
15 mg1234

How do you convert mg to units yourself?

  1. Volume. dose in mg ÷ 15 mg/mL = mL
  2. Units. mL × 100 = units on a U-100 syringe
  3. Check. units ÷ 100 × 15 = mg, which should match the dose on your prescription.

Example: 2.5 mg ÷ 15 mg/mL = 0.1667 mL = 16.67 units. If the units on your instructions do not match this math for the strength on your vial, ask the prescriber or pharmacy before injecting.

What is the FDA label dosing schedule for tirzepatide?

Compounded tirzepatide has no FDA label of its own. For reference, these are the schedules in the FDA labels for Mounjaro and Zepbound, which are dosed in mg.

Zepbound (FDA label, section 2)

Label schedule, quoted from the prescribing information. Your prescriber sets your own schedule.
WhenLabel dose
Weeks 1 to 42.5 mg once weekly (for starting treatment only)
Week 55 mg once weekly
Further stepsIncrease by 2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks on the current dose
Maintenance5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg once weekly for weight reduction; 10 mg or 15 mg for obstructive sleep apnea
Maximum15 mg once weekly

The label states that 2.5 mg is for starting treatment and is not an approved maintenance dose.

Mounjaro (FDA label, section 2)

Label schedule, quoted from the prescribing information. Your prescriber sets your own schedule.
WhenLabel dose
Start2.5 mg once weekly
Further stepsIf more glycemic control is needed, increase by 2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks on the current dose
Maximum15 mg once weekly in adults

For pediatric patients 10 years and older the Mounjaro label sets a lower maximum of 10 mg once weekly.

Other tirzepatide strengths

Tirzepatide 5 mg/mL · Tirzepatide 8 mg/mL · Tirzepatide 10 mg/mL · Tirzepatide 20 mg/mL · All tirzepatide strengths in one grid

Mixing a powder vial instead? The tirzepatide reconstitution guide and the free reconstitution calculator handle vials you add water to.

Frequently asked questions

How many units is 2.5 mg of tirzepatide at 15 mg/mL?+
2.5 mg ÷ 15 mg/mL = 0.1667 mL, which is 16.67 units on a U-100 insulin syringe (1 mL = 100 units). That falls between the printed marks, so it cannot be measured exactly on a standard syringe. At a different strength the same mg is a different number of units, so check the strength printed on your vial. Not personalized advice; confirm your dose, in mg and in units, with your prescriber or the dispensing pharmacy.
How many units is each tirzepatide label dose at 15 mg/mL?+
2.5 mg = 16.67 units; 5 mg = 33.33 units; 7.5 mg = 50 units; 10 mg = 66.67 units; 12.5 mg = 83.33 units; 15 mg = 100 units. These are the dose steps named in the Mounjaro and Zepbound labels, converted at 15 mg/mL on a U-100 syringe. Doses over 100 units need more than one 1 mL syringe.
How many doses are in a 2 mL vial of tirzepatide at 15 mg/mL?+
A 2 mL vial at 15 mg/mL holds 30 mg in total. That is 12 doses of 2.5 mg, 6 doses of 5 mg, 4 doses of 7.5 mg, 3 doses of 10 mg. In practice a little is lost to syringe dead space and the last drops in the vial.
Is compounded tirzepatide the same as Mounjaro and Zepbound?+
No. Mounjaro and Zepbound are FDA-approved products dosed in mg from pens (and, for some, labeled vials). Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA approved, and FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed. FDA has received reports of dosing errors with compounded semaglutide in multi-dose vials, many involving confusion between mg, mL and units.
Which syringe is used to measure tirzepatide in units?+
Unit instructions for compounded GLP-1 vials assume a U-100 insulin syringe, where 1 unit is 0.01 mL. A U-40 syringe, used for some veterinary insulin, has different markings and would give 2.5 times the volume at the same number. FDA has asked prescribers and compounders to give patients a syringe sized for the dose and to show them how to measure it.