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Dulaglutide vs Tirzepatide: What the Research Shows

Dulaglutide and Tirzepatide side by side: what they are, how they are regulated and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureUpdated
GLP-1 agonistFDA approved (Trulicity)DulaglutideOnce-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist sold as Trulicity; the label covers glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients 10 years of age and older with type 2 diabetes.[13]
GLP-1 / GIP dual agonistFDA approved (Mounjaro, Zepbound)TirzepatideFDA-approved dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist; in a large trial, mean weight change at week 72 was -15.0% on 5-mg and -19.5% on 10-mg weekly doses.[14]GLP-1 & metabolic+30% searches
Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider Dulaglutide if…

  • you want an FDA-approved product: Trulicity (dulaglutide) is labelled as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in type 2 diabetes[13]

Consider Tirzepatide if…

  • you want an FDA-approved product: Zepbound (tirzepatide) is labelled, with diet and activity, for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or with overweight plus a weight-related condition[12]
  • you want randomized type 2 diabetes data against insulin: Glycated hemoglobin fell by 1·93%, 2·20% and 2·37% with tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg versus 1·34% with insulin degludec at week 52.[15]

What they have in common

  • In the SURPASS-CVOT trial in type 2 diabetes with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, tirzepatide was noninferior to dulaglutide for a composite of cardiovascular death, heart attack or stroke[10]
Status labels come from public FDA and WADA records; see the sources below.
Side by side

Spec comparison

Showing 9 of 10 fields where the two differ. PCAC vote, Jul 2026 are the same or both unknown.

FieldDulaglutideTirzepatide
ClassGLP-1 agonistGLP-1 / GIP dual agonist
Also calledTrulicitytirz, tirze, Mounjaro, Zepbound
FDA statusFDA approved (Trulicity)FDA approved (Mounjaro, Zepbound)
WADANo WADA record in our dataNot on the WADA Prohibited ListGLP-1 and GIP agonists are not named anywhere on the 2026 list. This one is an approved medicine, so the catch-all S0 (which only covers drugs with no approval anywhere) does not apply to it.
Half-life[half-life by route]approximately 5 dayssubcutaneous · FDA label (Mounjaro)
Evidence strength[evidence grade]Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: Arthritis & rheumatology 2026, PMID 41903163
Human studies we summarised[n]24 human (22 randomized or controlled) of 30 summarised
Typical study doses[dose range]
Named in FDA warning letters, 2026Not in the letters we trackYes (24 Aug 2026; 31 Mar 2026)

Bracketed values are pending a sourced figure. Legal data reflects the regulatory events in our tracker.

Sources

  1. 1FDA warning letters to five research-peptide sellersFDA warning letter (NuScience Peptides; 1 of 5) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2FDA proposes excluding semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide from the 503B bulks listFDA · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3Seven FDA warning letters to online sellers of GLP-1 productsFDA warning letter (Gram Peptides; 1 of 7) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5These highlights do not include all the information needed to use MOUNJARO safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for MOUNJARO. MOUNJARO ® (tirzepatide) Injection, for subcutaneous uFDA label (Mounjaro), DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6Ixekizumab With Tirzepatide Achieved Greater Disease Control Than Ixekizumab Alone in Adults With Psoriatic Arthritis and Overweight or Obesity: Results From a Randomized Clinical Trial.Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2026PMID 41903163Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7Psychiatric Safety of Tirzepatide in People With Obesity and No Known Major Psychopathology: A Post Hoc Analysis of SURMOUNT.Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) · 2026PMID 41537305Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity.The New England journal of medicine · 2025PMID 40353578Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9PubMed search: (dulaglutide[tiab] OR Trulicity[tiab]) AND (tirzepatide[tiab] OR Mounjaro[tiab] OR Zepbound[tiab] OR LY3298176[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10Cardiovascular Outcomes with Tirzepatide versus Dulaglutide in Type 2 Diabetes.The New England journal of medicine · 2025PMID 41406444Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11Effects of Novel Dual GIP and GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Tirzepatide on Biomarkers of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.Diabetes care · 2020PMID 32291277Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12ZEPBOUND prescribing information (FDA label)FDA label, DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13TRULICITY prescribing information (FDA label)FDA label, DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity.The New England journal of medicine · 2022PMID 35658024Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  15. 15Once-weekly tirzepatide versus once-daily insulin degludec as add-on to metformin with or without SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes (SURPASS-3): a randomised, open-label, parallel-group, phase 3 trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2021PMID 34370970Accessed 2 Oct 2026

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