Are Zepbound and Mounjaro the same thing?

Yes — both are tirzepatide, from Eli Lilly, a once-weekly dual GIP + GLP-1 injection. They differ in brand and FDA-approved use: Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, Zepbound for chronic weight management (and obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity).

Can I use Mounjaro for weight loss instead of Zepbound?

Mounjaro is not FDA-approved for weight management, though it's the same molecule as Zepbound. Prescribing it for weight is an off-label decision only a clinician can make, and coverage usually differs. Discuss it with your doctor.

Zepbound vs Mounjaro

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against FDA prescribing information (DailyMed) + pivotal trials (PubMed) sourcesUpdated Jul 3, 2026How we research

Same drug — tirzepatide — sold as two brands. Zepbound is FDA-approved for chronic weight management; Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes. Same molecule, maker, and once-weekly injection; the brand and approved use differ.

At a glance

Attribute	Zepbound	Mounjaro
Active drug	tirzepatide	tirzepatide
Drug class	Dual GIP + GLP-1 receptor agonist	Dual GIP + GLP-1 receptor agonist
FDA-approved for	Chronic weight management	Type 2 diabetes
How it's taken	Once-weekly injection	Once-weekly injection
Maker	Eli Lilly	Eli Lilly

Zepboundrating & safety →·Mounjarorating & safety →

The short version

Zepbound and Mounjaro are the same active medicine — tirzepatide, made by Eli Lilly as a once-weekly injection that acts on two gut hormones (GIP and GLP-1). The difference isn't the drug; it's the brand and the FDA-approved use.

The key difference

Mounjaro is approved to treat type 2 diabetes. Zepbound is approved for chronic weight management (and for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity). Because they're the same molecule, which one a person is prescribed usually comes down to their diagnosis and insurance coverage, not a difference in how the drug works.

What the trials showed on weight

In the pivotal obesity trial (SURMOUNT-1), tirzepatide at 15 mg produced about a 20–21% average body-weight reduction over ~72 weeks. Because Zepbound and Mounjaro are the same molecule, the drug's effect is the same at the same dose — the brands differ in approved indication, not chemistry. These are trial averages; individual results vary. This is general information, not medical advice.

Bottom line

Zepbound and Mounjaro are the same drug (tirzepatide) with different names and approved uses. They aren't interchangeable products, though — dose ranges and coverage differ, and only a clinician should start, switch, or dose them.

Frequently asked

Are Zepbound and Mounjaro the same thing?: Yes — both are tirzepatide, from Eli Lilly, a once-weekly dual GIP + GLP-1 injection. They differ in brand and FDA-approved use: Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, Zepbound for chronic weight management (and obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity).
Can I use Mounjaro for weight loss instead of Zepbound?: Mounjaro is not FDA-approved for weight management, though it's the same molecule as Zepbound. Prescribing it for weight is an off-label decision only a clinician can make, and coverage usually differs. Discuss it with your doctor.

Compare more GLP-1 options

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Sources

General information, not medical advice, and not a substitute for your clinician. Efficacy figures are pivotal-trial averages — individual results, side effects, and cost vary. Only a licensed healthcare professional can choose, start, switch, or dose these medicines.