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Weight lossTwo labels compared

Zepbound vs Ozempic

Zepbound and Ozempic are compared constantly, yet their FDA labels do not overlap in a single approved use. Zepbound is tirzepatide, approved for weight reduction and for obstructive sleep apnea in obesity. Ozempic is semaglutide, approved for type 2 diabetes and its cardiovascular and kidney complications. This page reads both documents side by side.

Zepbound

Ingredient
Tirzepatide
Approved for
Weight management, and obstructive sleep apnea in obesitycovers weight loss
Supply
Prescription
Boxed warning
WARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORS
Pharmacy cost
$525.94 per milliliter, brandwhat pharmacies pay to buy it, not the price at the counter
Eli Lilly and Company. Label version 38, effective 22 April 2026.

Ozempic injection

Ingredient
Semaglutide
Approved for
Type 2 diabetes, with cardiovascular and kidney indicationsnot weight loss
Supply
Prescription
Boxed warning
WARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORS
Pharmacy cost
$331.98 per milliliter, brandwhat pharmacies pay to buy it, not the price at the counter
A-S Medication Solutions. Label version 1, effective 30 July 2026.
01From the FDA label

Side by side, straight from the labels

Generated from the two source labels, not typed out by hand, so it cannot drift from what the regulator approved. Rows where both labels say exactly the same thing are marked.

Active ingredientZepboundTirzepatideGIP and GLP-1 receptor agonistOzempic injectionSemaglutideGLP-1 receptor agonist
Approved forZepboundWeight management, and obstructive sleep apnea in obesityOzempic injectionType 2 diabetes, with cardiovascular and kidney indications
Supplysame in bothZepboundPrescriptionOzempic injectionPrescription
What pharmacies payAcquisition cost, not retailZepbound$525.94 per milliliter, brandOzempic injection$331.98 per milliliter, brand
Boxed warningsame in bothZepboundWARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORSOzempic injectionWARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORS
What the FDA approved it forZepbound
  • ZEPBOUND is a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist indicated in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity: to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adults with obesity or adults with overweight in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition.
  • to treat moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults with obesity.
  • Limitations of Use ZEPBOUND contains tirzepatide.
  • Coadministration with other tirzepatide-containing products or with any glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist is not recommended.
Ozempic injection
  • as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
  • to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular disease.
  • to reduce the risk of sustained eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease.
Forms and strengthsZepbound
  • Injection: Clear, colorless to slightly yellow solution in pre-filled single-dose pens, single-dose vials, multi-dose vials, or single-patient-use KwikPens, each available in the following strengths.
  • The multi-dose vials and single-patient-use KwikPen each contain 4 doses:
  • Injection: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, or 15 mg per 0.5 mL in single-dose pen or single-dose vial
  • Injection: 10 mg/2.4 mL (4.17 mg/mL) for four 2.5 mg/0.6 mL doses, 20 mg/2.4 mL (8.33 mg/mL) for four 5 mg/0.6 mL doses, 30 mg/2.4 mL (12.5 mg/mL) for four 7.5 mg/0.6 mL doses, 40 mg/2.4 mL (16.7 mg/mL) for four 10 mg/0.6 mL doses, 50 mg/2.4 mL (20.8 mg/mL) for four 12.5 mg/0.6 mL doses, or 60 mg/2.4 mL (25 mg/mL) for four 15 mg/0.6 mL doses in a multi-dose vial or single-patient-use KwikPen ®
Ozempic injection
  • Injection: 2 mg/3 mL (0.68 mg/mL) for 4 doses of 0.25 mg and 2 doses of 0.5 mg or 4 doses of 0.5 mg, 4 mg/3 mL (1.34 mg/mL) for 4 doses of 1 mg, and 8 mg/3 mL (2.68 mg/mL) for 4 doses of 2 mg in single-patient-use pens
  • Injection: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg or 1 mg per 0.5 mL in a single-dose prefilled syringe
How the label says it is takenZepbound
  • Recommended Dose Escalation Schedule The recommended starting dosage is 2.5 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly for 4 weeks. Increase the dosage in 2.5 mg increments after at least 4 weeks until recommended maintenance dosage is achieved.
  • Consider treatment response and tolerability when selecting the maintenance dosage.
  • Recommended Maintenance and Maximum Dosage Weight Reduction and Long-Term Maintenance: 5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly.
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea: 10 mg or 15 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly.
  • Maximum Recommended Dosage: 15 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly.
  • Administration Instructions Refer to the Full Prescribing Information for additional important administration instructions about ZEPBOUND presentations.
Ozempic injection
  • Administer once weekly at any time of day, with or without meals.
  • Start at 0.25 mg once weekly. After 4 weeks, increase the dosage to 0.5 mg once weekly.
  • If additional glycemic control is needed, increase the dosage to 1 mg once weekly after at least 4 weeks on the 0.5 mg dose.
  • To reduce the risk of sustained eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death, increase the dosage to 1 mg once weekly after at least 4 weeks on the 0.5 mg dosage.
  • If a dose is missed, administer within 5 days of missed dose.
  • Inject subcutaneously in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Important Administration Instructions
Most common adverse reactionsZepbound
  • most common adverse reactions, reported in ≥5% of patients treated with ZEPBOUND are: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, injection site reactions, fatigue, hypersensitivity reactions, eructation, hair loss, gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Ozempic injection
  • most common adverse reactions reported in ≥5% of patients treated with OZEMPIC are: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and constipation.
Warnings and precautionsZepbound
  • Severe Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions: Use has been associated with gastrointestinal adverse reactions, sometimes severe. ZEPBOUND is not recommended in patients with severe gastroparesis.
  • Acute Kidney Injury Due to Volume Depletion: Monitor renal function in patients reporting adverse reactions that could lead to volume depletion.
  • Acute Gallbladder Disease: Has been reported in clinical trials. If cholecystitis is suspected, gallbladder studies and clinical follow-up are indicated.
  • Acute Pancreatitis: Has been observed in patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists, or ZEPBOUND. Discontinue if pancreatitis is suspected.
  • Hypersensitivity Reactions: Serious hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis, angioedema) have been reported postmarketing with tirzepatide. If suspected, advise patients to promptly seek medical attention and discontinue ZEPBOUND.
  • Hypoglycemia: Concomitant use with insulin or an insulin secretagogue may increase the risk of hypoglycemia, including severe hypoglycemia. Reducing dose of insulin or insulin secretagogue may be necessary. Inform all patients of the risk of hypoglycemia and educate them on the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia.
  • Diabetic Retinopathy Complications in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Has not been studied in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy requiring acute therapy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or diabetic macular edema. Monitor patients with a history of diabetic retinopathy for progression.
  • Pulmonary Aspiration During General Anesthesia or Deep Sedation: Has been reported in patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists undergoing elective surgeries or procedures. Instruct patients to inform healthcare providers of any planned surgeries or procedures.
Ozempic injection
  • Acute Pancreatitis: Has been observed in patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists, including OZEMPIC. Discontinue if pancreatitis is suspected.
  • Diabetic Retinopathy Complications: Has been reported in a clinical trial. Patients with a history of diabetic retinopathy should be monitored.
  • Never share an OZEMPIC pen between patients, even if the needle is changed.
  • Hypoglycemia: Concomitant use with an insulin secretagogue or insulin may increase the risk of hypoglycemia, including severe hypoglycemia. Reducing dose of insulin secretagogue or insulin may be necessary.
  • Acute Kidney Injury Due to Volume Depletion: Monitor renal function in patients reporting adverse reactions that could lead to volume depletion.
  • Severe Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions: Use has been associated with gastrointestinal adverse reactions, sometimes severe. OZEMPIC is not recommended in patients with severe gastroparesis.
  • Hypersensitivity Reactions: Serious hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis and angioedema) have been reported. Discontinue OZEMPIC if suspected and promptly seek medical advice.
  • Acute Gallbladder Disease: If cholelithiasis or cholecystitis are suspected, gallbladder studies are indicated.
ContraindicationsZepbound
  • ZEPBOUND is contraindicated in patients with: A personal or family history of MTC or in patients with MEN 2.
  • Known serious hypersensitivity to tirzepatide or any of the excipients in ZEPBOUND.
  • Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis and angioedema, have been reported with tirzepatide.
  • Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2
Ozempic injection
  • Personal or family history of MTC or in patients with MEN 2.
  • Serious hypersensitivity reaction to semaglutide or any of the excipients in OZEMPIC.
Drug interactionsZepbound
  • ZEPBOUND delays gastric emptying and has the potential to impact the absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications.
Ozempic injection
  • Oral Medications: OZEMPIC delays gastric emptying.
  • May impact absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications.
  • Use with caution.
Label versionZepbound22 April 2026Ozempic injection30 July 2026
02Written by us

No indication appears in both labels

The Zepbound label covers reduction of excess body weight and long-term maintenance of that reduction, in adults with obesity or with overweight plus at least one weight-related condition, and separately the treatment of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity.

The Ozempic label covers three indications, all in adults who have type 2 diabetes: improving glycemic control, reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events where cardiovascular disease is established, and reducing the risk of sustained decline in kidney function, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death where chronic kidney disease is present.

Between the two lists there is no common entry. A person reading these labels is reading about two different diseases.

03Written by us

Different molecules, one receptor in common

Zepbound contains tirzepatide, which its label describes as an agonist of both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Ozempic contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. The overlap in one receptor explains why the two are discussed together and why their warnings read alike; it does not make them interchangeable, and each label warns against combining its product with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist.

04Written by us

Where the documents do align

Both are once-weekly subcutaneous injections with stepwise dose escalation: Zepbound starts at 2.5 mg weekly with maintenance dosages of 5, 10 or 15 mg for weight reduction, Ozempic starts at 0.25 mg weekly with escalation described in its own schedule.

Both carry the boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors observed in rodents and the contraindication for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2.

05Written by us

What this page does not tell you

It does not rank the two products, and no ranking could be read out of these documents: they were approved for different conditions on separate trial programs. The choice of treatment, and any use outside an approved indication, is a decision for a licensed clinician.

06Written by us

Common questions

Are Zepbound and Ozempic interchangeable?
No. They contain different active ingredients, tirzepatide and semaglutide, and their labels do not share a single approved indication. Each label also states that coadministration with any GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended.
Is Zepbound approved for diabetes?
No. The Zepbound label covers weight reduction and obstructive sleep apnea in obesity. Tirzepatide is approved for type 2 diabetes under a different brand name, Mounjaro, with its own label.
Is Ozempic approved for weight loss?
Weight reduction is not among the three indications in the Ozempic label. Semaglutide holds a separate approval for weight management under the brand name Wegovy.
Why is only Zepbound approved for sleep apnea?
The Zepbound label lists moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity as its own indication. No other label in this catalog carries that use; approvals follow the trials a manufacturer ran and filed.
07

Sources

Every fact above comes from one of these documents. The date is the effective date of the label version this page was built from.

Each stripe is one section of the label, each division in a stripe one entry in that section. The red bar marks a boxed warning.

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Other comparisons in this category

Page last updated 23 August 2026

Compiled by the HealthyStudy editorial team from FDA source documents. No medical reviewer is credited on this page, because none reviewed it.