Comparison
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy) vs. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound)
Semaglutide or tirzepatide – what do the direct comparison data show?
The short answer
Both are approved, both have phase III data with hard endpoints – here, for once, you are comparing two well-supported substances with each other rather than evidence against marketing. Tirzepatide acts on two receptors instead of one and achieves the greater weight reduction in the approval trials. Semaglutide, in turn, has been on the market longer and has a cardiovascular outcome trial in SELECT. The choice is a medical decision, not a consumer decision: both are prescription-only, and both have a relevant side-effect profile.
The numbers side by side
| Axis | Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy) | Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human evidenceHow much and how good the data in humans are | 10 | 10 | even |
| MechanismHow well the chain of action is understood | 9 | 9 | even |
| Safety dataHow well safety has been studied – not how safe it is | 9 | 8 | Semaglutide better studied |
| Hype gap10 means: the advertising stays level with the data | 7 | 7 | even |
| Track record of useHow much documented use in humans exists – does not measure whether it works | 9 | 8 | Semaglutide in use longer |
| Rating | Well supported · Well supported | ||
“Track record of use” measures how long and how widely something has been used in humans – not whether it works. The BK-Score is a subjective assessment by Biohacking Kompakt based on published scoring rules (German). It is not a scientific rating, not the consensus of a professional society and not a medical recommendation.
Why these numbers
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy)
Approved on the basis of the STEP trials, cardiovascular benefit in SELECT with a hard endpoint, chain of action quantified in humans, pharmacovigilance ongoing. Deduction on the hype gap for the gray market, which advertises with the same numbers without selling the same product.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound)
Approved on the basis of the SURMOUNT and SURPASS programs; the dual receptor action is documented in humans. Fewer long-term data than for semaglutide, because it is younger. Coverage by statutory health insurance is excluded – that gets left out in the advertising.
Frequently asked questions
Is tirzepatide stronger than semaglutide?
In the approval trials on weight reduction, yes. A direct head-to-head comparison of the two drugs now exists as well and came out in favor of tirzepatide. Stronger does not automatically mean better tolerated, though – gastrointestinal side effects are common with both.
Why do both still not have a hype gap of 10?
Because the marketing runs outside the approved indications: as a lifestyle weight-loss drug for people without obesity or diabetes. For this group, the approval data do not exist.
Can you get either of them without a prescription?
Both are prescription-only medicines. What is traded on the gray market under these names is not subject to batch control – content, purity and dosage cannot be verified there.
See all 255 ratings in the ranking (German app)
Information only, not medical advice and not a usage or dosage recommendation. Prescription-only and unapproved substances belong in a doctor's hands.