Mounjaro vs Zepbound: Same Tirzepatide, Two Labels
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[GLP-1 · Comparison]

Mounjaro vs Zepbound: what is the difference?

Approved uses · Sleep apnea · Label dosing · Vials

Short answer: Both are tirzepatide from Eli Lilly, injected once a week at the same strengths (2.5 to 15 mg). Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes, including ages 10 and up, and for lowering heart risk in high-risk type 2 diabetes.1 Zepbound is approved for weight reduction and for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity.2

The drug, strengths and devices are the same. What differs is the approved use, who can take it, and which doses count as maintenance. For tirzepatide against semaglutide, see Semaglutide vs tirzepatide: what did the head-to-head trial show?.

How do Mounjaro and Zepbound compare side by side?

From the current US Mounjaro and Zepbound labels.
MounjaroZepbound
Active ingredientTirzepatide (GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist)1Tirzepatide (GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist)2
Approved usesType 2 diabetes (blood sugar), adults and ages 10 and up; lowering heart attack, stroke and heart death risk in adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk1Weight reduction in adults with obesity, or overweight plus a weight-related condition; moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity2
Starting dose2.5 mg weekly12.5 mg weekly for 4 weeks; 2.5 mg is not a maintenance dose2
Step-upsUp by 2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks if more blood sugar control is neededTo 5 mg after 4 weeks, then up by 2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks
Maintenance and maximumMax 15 mg weekly in adults, 10 mg in children 10 and up1Weight: 5, 10 or 15 mg. Sleep apnea: 10 or 15 mg. Max 15 mg2
DevicesSingle-dose pens and vials (2.5 to 15 mg), 4-dose multi-dose vials and 4-dose KwikPens1Same: single-dose pens and vials, 4-dose multi-dose vials and 4-dose KwikPens2
Missed doseWithin 4 days (96 hours); keep doses at least 3 days apart1Within 4 days (96 hours); keep doses at least 3 days apart2
Half-lifeabout 5 days (label: about 5 days)1About 5 to 6 days in people with overweight, obesity or sleep apnea2
Time to peak8 to 72 hours1Median 24 hours (8 to 72)2

Reviewed . Half-life figures are shown only where the value Dose Track uses agrees with the cited source.

Which trials sit behind each label?

  • Mounjaro was tested in type 2 diabetes. Its heart indication comes from SURPASS-CVOT, 13,299 adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, where tirzepatide (up to 15 mg) was compared with dulaglutide 1.5 mg rather than placebo. It was non-inferior for heart attack, stroke or heart death (hazard ratio 0.92), and superiority was not shown.1
  • Zepbound was tested in people with obesity or overweight, most without diabetes, over 72 weeks.2 Its sleep apnea use comes from SURMOUNT-OSA.

What did the sleep apnea trials show?

SURMOUNT-OSA ran two 52-week trials in adults with moderate to severe sleep apnea and obesity: one in people not using a CPAP machine, one in people who were. They took the highest tolerated dose of tirzepatide (10 or 15 mg) or placebo. Breathing interruptions per hour (AHI) fell by 25.3 vs 5.3 in the first trial and 29.3 vs 5.5 in the second. The most common side effects were gastrointestinal.3 The Zepbound label sets 10 or 15 mg as the sleep apnea maintenance dose.2

Pens, vials and KwikPens

Both brands come in the same four forms. Single-dose pens and vials hold one 0.5 mL dose. Multi-dose vials and KwikPens hold four 0.6 mL doses. With vials, the labels say to use a syringe that can measure the dose (for example a 1 mL syringe) and a new syringe and needle every time. The KwikPen is not recommended for self-injection by people who are visually impaired, and the Mounjaro KwikPen is not recommended for children to self-inject.12

Semaglutide vs tirzepatide: what did the head-to-head trial show?SURMOUNT-5 results, label titration, half-life Wegovy vs Zepbound: what is each one approved for?Heart risk, MASH, sleep apnea, tablets Ozempic vs Wegovy: what is actually different?Same molecule: uses, dose ceilings, pens, tablets

Frequently asked questions

Is Mounjaro the same as Zepbound?+
Same active ingredient (tirzepatide), same maker and the same strengths, but different approved uses. Mounjaro is for type 2 diabetes; Zepbound is for weight reduction and obstructive sleep apnea with obesity.12
Is Mounjaro approved for weight loss?+
No. The Mounjaro label covers type 2 diabetes and heart risk in type 2 diabetes. Weight reduction and sleep apnea are Zepbound indications.12
Does Zepbound come in vials?+
Yes. Zepbound and Mounjaro both come as single-dose pens, single-dose vials, 4-dose multi-dose vials and 4-dose KwikPens, from 2.5 to 15 mg.21
What is the highest dose of Mounjaro and Zepbound?+
15 mg once weekly for both in adults. Mounjaro in children 10 and older tops out at 10 mg.12
Can I track Mounjaro or Zepbound in Dose Track?+
Yes. Tirzepatide is built in. Log each weekly shot from a pen, vial or KwikPen, see estimated levels, and set reminders.

Sources

  1. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information. DailyMed, revised August 2026.
  2. Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information. DailyMed, revised August 2026.
  3. Malhotra A, et al. Tirzepatide for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and obesity (SURMOUNT-OSA). N Engl J Med. 2024;391:1193-1205.

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