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Wegovy vs Mounjaro: how do they compare in India?

Semaglutide and tirzepatide side by side for readers in India: approvals, the one head-to-head trial and its harms, dose steps, MRPs and what a doctor weighs.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished 14 Oct 202612 min read24 sourcesWritten from published sources
What we checked24 sources, each one opened and linked to the sentence it supportsLast checked 14 Oct 2026 · Next review due 14 Apr 2027 · How we write

Written for India. Reading from elsewhere? Other country versionsComing soon

The short answer

Wegovy (semaglutide) copies one gut hormone, GLP-1. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) acts on two, GIP and GLP-1. Both are weekly injections approved in India for weight management. In the one head-to-head trial, people lost more weight on tirzepatide, and stomach side effects were common on both.

At a glance

WegovyMounjaro
Medicine and makerSemaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk. Also sold as Poviztra by Emcure.1,15Tirzepatide, made by Eli Lilly. Also sold as Yurpeak by Cipla.2,14
Approved in India forObesity and weight management; teens 12+ above 60 kg; fatty liver with scarring (MASH)8,10,11Type 2 diabetes; long-term weight management in adults6
How it is takenInjection under the skin, once a week1Injection under the skin, once a week2
Dose steps0.25 mg, then up every 4 weeks: 0.5, 1, 1.7, then 2.4 mg (or stay at 1.7)12.5 mg, then up 2.5 mg after 4+ weeks each: 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 mg; stays on 5, 10 or 152,3
Weight change in its main trial, with the main harmOver 68 weeks in STEP 1: −14.9% of body weight on Wegovy 2.4 mg, −2.4% on a dummy injection. Nausea in the EU label's pooled STEP 1–4 trials: 44 in 100 on Wegovy, 16 in 100 on a dummy injection.18,4Over 72 weeks in SURMOUNT-1: −15.0% to −20.9% of body weight on tirzepatide 5 to 15 mg, −3.1% on a dummy injection. Nausea in the US Zepbound label's pool of SURMOUNT-1 and -2: 25 to 29 in 100 on tirzepatide, 8 in 100 on a dummy injection.19,3
Most common side effects (EU label bands)Very common (more than 1 in 10): nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, stomach pain4Very common (more than 1 in 10): nausea, diarrhoea; vomiting, stomach pain and constipation in weight trials5
MRP in IndiaPen of 4 doses: ₹5,660 (0.25 mg) to ₹16,400 (2.4 mg). At 2.4 mg: about ₹17,767 a month, ₹2,13,200 a year.8,9KwikPen of 4 doses: ₹13,125 (2.5 mg) to ₹25,781 (15 mg). At 5 mg: about ₹17,773 a month, ₹2,13,278 a year. At 15 mg: about ₹27,929 a month, ₹3,35,153 a year.12
Insurance in IndiaUsually not covered: standard policies pay for hospital stays, not outpatient medicines24Usually not covered, for the same reason24

MRP is the printed maximum retail price, checked against our price index on 11 Oct 2026. A month is 52 ÷ 12 ≈ 4.3 weekly doses; a year is 52 doses. The weight and nausea rows come from separate trials against a dummy injection, so they can't be compared directly. The one head-to-head trial is below. Brands are in alphabetical order, not ranked.

Before you go further
  • Both are prescription-only medicines. A government statement on 1 Apr 2026 said only endocrinologists, internal-medicine specialists and cardiologists can prescribe them.21 CDSCO expert-committee minutes attach a similar condition to some approvals (endocrinologist or internal-medicine specialist), but we found no rule covering every brand.22,23
  • Both have serious risks as well as common side effects: Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
  • Trial results are group averages. They are not a promise for any one person, and this page doesn't say which medicine suits you.
On this page
  1. How do Wegovy and Mounjaro work differently?
  2. What is each one approved for in India?
  3. What did the head-to-head trial find, harms included?
  4. How do the dose steps differ?
  5. What do Wegovy and Mounjaro cost in India?
  6. What else differs day to day?
  7. Which one? What does a doctor weigh?
  8. Questions people ask
  9. How we researched this

How do Wegovy and Mounjaro work differently?

Wegovy copies one gut hormone, GLP-1. Mounjaro acts on GLP-1 and a second gut hormone, GIP, so it has two targets in the body.

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a hormone your gut releases after you eat. Semaglutide, the medicine in Wegovy, is 94% the same as human GLP-1.1 Tirzepatide, the medicine in Mounjaro, switches on the receptors for both GIP and GLP-1.2 A receptor is the "lock" a hormone fits.

Both slow how fast the stomach empties.1,2 Both last long enough for one injection a week: tirzepatide's half-life is about 5 days, semaglutide's about 1 week.1,2 Semaglutide stays in the blood for about 5 to 7 weeks after the last dose.1

Each medicine has a sister brand in India. Poviztra is Novo Nordisk's semaglutide sold by Emcure.15 Yurpeak is Lilly's tirzepatide sold by Cipla, at Mounjaro's price.14 Ozempic is also semaglutide, approved here for diabetes; see Wegovy vs Ozempic. How the hormone works is in what GLP‑1 medicines do.

What is each one approved for in India?

Both are approved in India for weight management. Mounjaro is also approved for type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy for teens and for a type of fatty liver.

Mounjaro. Lilly launched it on 20 March 2025, after marketing approval from CDSCO, India's drug regulator.6 The approval covers blood-sugar control in type 2 diabetes. It also covers long-term weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition.6

Wegovy. Novo Nordisk launched it on 24 June 2025.7 Business Standard describes it as prescribed in India "for obesity and weight management".8 CDSCO cleared it for teens aged 12 and older who weigh more than 60 kg, as reported on 29 May 2026.10 In July 2026 it was cleared for adults with MASH, a fatty liver disease with moderate-to-advanced scarring.11

The BMI figures are the label's wording. What BMI and waist size mean for Indian bodies is in Guide 1: weight and health in Indians.

India note. The US labels list more uses. Wegovy's adds lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with heart disease.1 The US weight brand of tirzepatide, Zepbound, adds sleep apnoea with obesity.3 We found no Indian approval for either use.

What did the head-to-head trial find, harms included?

One trial, SURMOUNT-5, compared the two directly. People lost more weight on tirzepatide, and stomach side effects were common in both groups.

It followed 751 adults with obesity but without diabetes for 72 weeks.16 Each person got the highest dose they could tolerate: tirzepatide 10 or 15 mg, or semaglutide 1.7 or 2.4 mg, the Wegovy doses.16 Average weight change was −20.2% on tirzepatide and −13.7% on semaglutide.16 Waists shrank by 18.4 cm (7.2 inches) and 13.0 cm (5.1 inches).16

For a 90 kg (198 lb) person, those averages are about 18 kg (40 lb) and 12 kg (27 lb). Some people lose much more and some very little.

SURMOUNT-5: weight lost and stomach side effects
% of body weight, or % of people, over 72 weeks · adults without diabetes
Average weight lost
Had nausea
Had vomiting
Blue = benefit, orange = harm, on the same scale. Weight is from the published trial. Side effects are from its ClinicalTrials.gov results: nausea in 163 of 374 people on tirzepatide and 167 of 376 on semaglutide; vomiting in 56 of 374 and 80 of 376. Checked 14 October 2026.16,17

Other side effects ran close. Diarrhoea hit 88 people in each group, about 24 in 100 on tirzepatide and 23 in 100 on semaglutide.17 Constipation hit 27 in 100 and 28 in 100.17 Serious adverse events were 5 in 100 on tirzepatide and 3 in 100 on semaglutide.17 Most stomach effects were mild to moderate and came while the dose went up.16

Read this trial with care. Everyone knew which medicine they were taking (open-label), and Eli Lilly, which makes Mounjaro, paid for it.16 It enrolled people without diabetes, so it says less about people who have it.

Indian data. One Delhi hospital looked back at the records of 150 people treated for 6 months. Median weight loss was 8.60% on tirzepatide and 5.62% on semaglutide.20 It was a look back at past records from a single centre, and it did not report semaglutide by brand.20 Mounjaro vs Ozempic covers it, and the diabetes trial SURPASS-2, in more detail.

RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects are common on both. Losing fluid from vomiting or diarrhoea can injure the kidneys.1,2
  • Pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas) is "uncommon" (1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000) on both EU labels. The sign is severe stomach pain that won't go away, sometimes reaching the back.4,5
  • Gallstones are "common" (1 in 10 to 1 in 100) on the EU Wegovy label and "uncommon" on the EU Mounjaro label.4,5
  • Low blood sugar. The risk rises when either is taken with insulin or a sulfonylurea, a type of diabetes tablet.1,2
  • Thyroid warning. The US labels rule out both for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) or MEN 2, an inherited gland condition; tell your doctor if this applies.1,2
  • Surgery. The US Wegovy label asks you to tell your doctors before any planned surgery, because food left in the stomach can be breathed in under anaesthesia.1
Full detail in Guide 5: Side effects and risks →
Get help now: call 112. Call if you have severe stomach pain that won't settle, sometimes spreading to your back, with or without vomiting.1

How do the dose steps differ?

Both start low and step up every 4 weeks or more. Wegovy has five strengths in India and Mounjaro has six.

Your doctor sets your dose. The steps below come from the US labels, not Indian ones. The slow climb is there to cut stomach side effects.1,2
Wegovy (semaglutide)0.25 mg a week for 4 weeks, then 0.5, 1 and 1.7 mg, 4 weeks each. From week 17 the dose to stay on is 2.4 mg, or 1.7 mg.1 India sells all five strengths.7 The US label adds 7.2 mg, which is not among them.1
Mounjaro (tirzepatide)2.5 mg a week for 4 weeks, then up by 2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks on each dose, to 15 mg at most.2 The 2.5 mg dose is only for starting; the doses to stay on are 5, 10 or 15 mg.3

The milligrams don't compare across the two medicines: 2.4 mg of semaglutide and 15 mg of tirzepatide are different molecules. Every step of every brand sold here is in our semaglutide vs tirzepatide dose chart, and Mounjaro's in Mounjaro doses explained.

What do Wegovy and Mounjaro cost in India?

Printed MRPs: Wegovy ₹5,660 to ₹16,400 a pen, Mounjaro ₹13,125 to ₹25,781 a KwikPen. Each holds 4 weekly doses.

Wegovy. Novo Nordisk cut its prices on 30 March 2026, after semaglutide's Indian patent expired. Business Standard reported the new range as ₹5,660 to ₹16,400.8 Reuters reported the 0.5 mg and 1 mg weekly prices, ₹2,025 and ₹2,275, from a Novo Nordisk statement.9 Pharmacy listings print ₹12,750 for the 1.7 mg pen.13

Mounjaro. We found no Lilly price statement after the 2025 tax change, so we use printed MRPs on at least two pharmacy listings: ₹13,125 (2.5 mg), ₹16,406 (5 mg), ₹20,625 (7.5 and 10 mg) and ₹25,781 (12.5 and 15 mg).12 Cipla said Yurpeak would cost the same as Mounjaro, but published no figure.14

A year is 52 weekly doses, or 13 pens. A year at Wegovy 2.4 mg is ₹2,13,200 (13 × ₹16,400). A year of Mounjaro is ₹2,13,278 at 5 mg and ₹3,35,153 at 15 mg (our arithmetic). The dose a doctor settles on decides the bill, and a first year on the dose steps costs less than a year at the top dose.

Medicine is not the only cost. Doctor visits and blood tests come on top, and most health insurance pays only for hospital stays.24 What a year costs, all in adds them up, and GLP-1s and health insurance in India covers what policies say.

Free toolWork out your own 6- and 12-month cost

Pick a medicine and dose steps; it adds MRPs, doctor visits and tests. No sign-up.

Open the calculator

What else differs day to day?

The labels differ on missed doses, the contraceptive pill, how long before a pregnancy to stop, and how long a pen keeps out of the fridge.

  • Missed dose. Take Wegovy if the next dose is more than 2 days away; after 2 or more missed doses in a row, the label restarts at a lower step.1 Take Mounjaro within 4 days, or skip it.2 Our missed-dose answer has the detail.
  • The contraceptive pill. The US Mounjaro label says it can make the pill less reliable. It advises a non-pill method, or adding a barrier method, for 4 weeks after starting and after each dose step.2 The EU label says no change is needed, so ask your doctor which applies to you.5
  • Before a pregnancy. The EU labels say to stop Wegovy at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy, and Mounjaro at least 1 month before.4,5 See GLP-1 medicines, pregnancy and the pill.
  • Heat. An in-use Wegovy FlexTouch pen keeps 56 days at 15–30 °C.1 An in-use Mounjaro KwikPen keeps 30 days at up to 30 °C, or 4 doses.2 Both stop at 30 °C, which many Indian rooms pass in summer; see storing your pen in Indian heat.
  • Not together. Both labels say not to combine the medicine with any other GLP-1 medicine.1,3

Which one? What does a doctor weigh?

There is no single right answer. A doctor looks at your health, your other medicines and your plans, and these label facts feed into that.

  • Type 2 diabetes. Mounjaro is approved in India for blood-sugar control; Wegovy is approved for weight.6,8 The type 2 diabetes path covers the other options.
  • Age. Wegovy has an Indian approval for teens 12 and older above 60 kg.10 Mounjaro's Indian weight approval covers adults.6
  • Fatty liver with scarring. Wegovy is approved in India for MASH with moderate-to-advanced scarring.11
  • The pill and pregnancy plans. Mounjaro's US label advice on the pill, and the different stop times before a pregnancy.2,4,5
  • Side effects so far. The Wegovy label lets a doctor delay a step by 4 weeks if a dose isn't tolerated; the Zepbound label allows a lower dose to stay on.1,3
  • Cost over time. The yearly bill depends on the dose you stay on, which nobody can know at the start.8,12

Our doctor questions tool turns these into a list to take to your appointment.

Questions people ask

Is Mounjaro stronger than Wegovy?

In SURMOUNT-5, the one head-to-head trial, adults without diabetes lost 20.2% of their weight on tirzepatide (Mounjaro) and 13.7% on semaglutide (Wegovy) over 72 weeks. Nausea hit 44 in 100 on each. Eli Lilly, which makes Mounjaro, paid for the trial, and everyone knew which medicine they took.16,17

Are Wegovy and Ozempic the same medicine?

Yes, both are semaglutide from Novo Nordisk. In India, Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes and is sold up to 1 mg; Wegovy is approved for weight and is sold up to 2.4 mg.8,9

Is Mounjaro approved for weight loss in India?

Yes. CDSCO approved Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and for long-term weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition.6

Can you switch from Wegovy to Mounjaro?

A doctor can switch you, but the labels give no conversion between the two medicines. Both labels say not to take them together with another GLP-1 medicine.1,3

Do Wegovy and Mounjaro have the same side effects?

Mostly the same kind: stomach effects such as nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation. In SURMOUNT-5, vomiting hit 15 in 100 on tirzepatide and 21 in 100 on semaglutide; serious adverse events were 5 in 100 and 3 in 100.17

Is Poviztra the same as Wegovy?

Poviztra is a second brand of Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, sold in India by Emcure, with its own MRP: ₹3,999 for 4 weekly doses at 0.25 mg to ₹8,999 at 2.4 mg.15

How we researched this

On 14 October 2026 we read the US labels for Wegovy (June 2026), Mounjaro and Zepbound (August 2026), and the EU product information for both. We found no Indian pack leaflet online. We read the SURMOUNT-5, STEP 1 and SURMOUNT-1 abstracts, SURMOUNT-5's registry results and the Indian records study's abstract.

Indian approvals come from dated news reports of CDSCO decisions. Prices are MRPs from our price index: Wegovy from Novo Nordisk's prices as reported by Business Standard and Reuters, Mounjaro from printed MRPs on at least two pharmacy listings. We never use discounted selling prices.

We left out what we could not confirm: an Indian label for either medicine, and any Indian approval of Wegovy's heart use or tirzepatide's sleep apnoea use.

Before you move on

  • Wegovy (semaglutide) acts on GLP-1; Mounjaro (tirzepatide) acts on GIP and GLP-1.
  • Both are approved in India for weight; Mounjaro also for type 2 diabetes, Wegovy also for teens and MASH.
  • In the one head-to-head trial, funded by Lilly, weight loss averaged 20.2% on tirzepatide and 13.7% on semaglutide, with nausea in 44 in 100 on each.
  • MRPs are per pen of 4 doses, and the dose you stay on decides the yearly cost.
Side effects and risksShould I consider a GLP-1?Cost calculator

More from the India blog

INIndiaMedicinesMounjaro vs Ozempic: how do they differ in India? INIndiaMedicinesHow much weight do people lose on Ozempic or Mounjaro? INIndiaSafetyMounjaro side effects: what the trials and the label say
About GLP Guidebook

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An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don't sell medicines, take drug-company money or earn clinic commissions. Once a month: new brands, price changes, approvals and recalls. How we write

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Sources

  1. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information, US label, not the Indian one, revised June 2026: dosage (2.2), missed doses (2.4), limitations of use, warnings (5), storage (16), pharmacokinetics (12.3). PDF
  2. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information, US label, not the Indian one, revised August 2026: dosage and missed doses (2.1), oral contraceptives (7.2, 8.3), pregnancy (8.1), storage (16). PDF
  3. Eli Lilly. Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information, US label (Zepbound is the US weight brand of the same tirzepatide), revised August 2026: maintenance doses (2.2), limitations of use (1), adverse reactions table (6.1). PDF
  4. European Medicines Agency. Wegovy: EU product information (summary of product characteristics), section 4.8 adverse reactions (pooled STEP 1–4: nausea 43.9% vs 16.1% on placebo) and 4.6 pregnancy. PDF
  5. European Medicines Agency. Mounjaro: EU product information (summary of product characteristics), section 4.8 adverse reactions and 4.6 pregnancy ("discontinued at least 1 month before a planned pregnancy"). PDF
  6. BioSpectrum. Eli Lilly introduces Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes (CDSCO marketing authorisation; BMI 30+, or 27+ with a weight-related condition). 20 March 2025. Link
  7. Deccan Herald (PTI). Novo Nordisk launches anti-obesity drug Wegovy in India (strengths 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.7 and 2.4 mg). 24 June 2025. Link
  8. Business Standard. As generics wave builds up, Novo Nordisk slashes Ozempic, Wegovy prices (Wegovy ₹5,660 to ₹16,400; "Wegovy is prescribed for obesity and weight management"). 31 March 2026. Link
  9. ThePrint (Reuters). Novo Nordisk again cuts Ozempic, Wegovy prices by up to 48% in India as generics flood market (weekly prices quoted from a Novo Nordisk statement). 1 April 2026. Link
  10. IndiaMedToday (IMT News Desk). Novo Nordisk's Wegovy gets CDSCO nod for adolescent obesity in India ("aged 12 years and older who have a body weight above 60 kg"). 29 May 2026. Link
  11. Business Standard (Sanket Koul). Novo Nordisk's Wegovy gets CDSCO nod for fatty liver disease indication (non-cirrhotic MASH with moderate-to-advanced liver fibrosis, adults). 17 July 2026. Link
  12. PharmEasy, Tata 1mg, Medkart and MrMed product listings, printed MRP of the Mounjaro KwikPen (4 doses): 2.5 mg ₹13,125; 5 mg ₹16,406; 7.5 and 10 mg ₹20,625; 12.5 and 15 mg ₹25,781; at least 2 listings agree on each. Recorded in our price index, checked 11 October 2026. No maker statement found. Not linked: we don't link pages that sell medicines.
  13. PharmEasy and Apollo Pharmacy product listings, printed MRP of the Wegovy 1.7 mg pen (4 doses), ₹12,750. Recorded in our price index, checked 11 October 2026. Not linked: we don't link pages that sell medicines.
  14. Cipla. Cipla launches Yurpeak (tirzepatide) ("Lilly will manufacture and supply Yurpeak to Cipla, and the price will be the same as Mounjaro"). Press release, 10 December 2025. PDF
  15. Indian Pharma Post (IPP Bureau). Emcure Pharma reduces Poviztra starting dose price by 55% in India (0.25 mg ₹3,999; 2.4 mg ₹8,999 a month). 2 April 2026. Also Medical Dialogues, 4 April 2026 ("a second brand of Novo Nordisk's semaglutide"). Link · Link
  16. Aronne LJ, Horn DB, le Roux CW, et al. Tirzepatide as compared with semaglutide for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-5). N Engl J Med 2025;393:26–36. Open-label. Funded by Eli Lilly. DOI · PMID 40353578
  17. ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT05822830 (SURMOUNT-5), posted results: adverse events (374 people on tirzepatide, 376 on semaglutide; our percentages from the counts). Link
  18. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med 2021;384:989–1002. Funded by Novo Nordisk. DOI · PMID 33567185
  19. Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-1). N Engl J Med 2022;387:205–216. Supported by Eli Lilly. DOI · PMID 35658024
  20. Jarso G, Mahendru S, Dutta A, Sharma R, Megerso A, Mithal A. Magnitude and determinants of weight loss response to GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists in India: a real-world time-to-event analysis. Indian J Endocrinol Metab 2026. Authors declared no conflicts of interest. DOI · PMID 42238558
  21. Press Information Bureau (PIB Research). GLP-1 Drugs: Use, Risks, and Regulation ("In India, GLP-1 drugs can only be prescribed by endocrinologists, internal medicine specialists, and cardiologists"). Government backgrounder, 1 April 2026. PDF
  22. CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 20–21 April 2023, item 1, tirzepatide (Eli Lilly): "The drug should be sold by retail under prescription of Endocrinologist or internal medicine specialists only." PDF · archived copy
  23. CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 13–14 February 2024, items 3–4, semaglutide (Novo Nordisk): approved warning statement "To be sold by retail on the prescription of an Endocrinologist, and Internal medicine". PDF · archived copy
  24. Niva Bupa. All about health insurance exclusion list updated from IRDAI ("Standard health insurance only pays out if you are admitted for medical treatment"; OPD is a policy benefit). Checked 14 October 2026. Link

Last checked 14 Oct 2026 · Next review due 14 Apr 2027 · Report an error

How this page was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write