Wegovy vs. Zepbound: How the Two Leading Weight-Management Drugs Compare
A single-hormone agonist against a dual-hormone agonist. Here's what separates Novo Nordisk's Wegovy from Eli Lilly's Zepbound on paper.
By the GLP Semaglutide editorial team · Last updated August 5, 2026
Wegovy (semaglutide) targets the GLP-1 receptor alone. Zepbound (tirzepatide) targets both the GLP-1 and GIP receptors, which is the mechanistic reason trial sponsors point to when explaining why tirzepatide has shown larger average weight-loss results in head-to-head-style trial comparisons.
Trial results aren't a guarantee
Published trial averages describe population-level outcomes, not individual results. Response to either drug varies by dose, adherence, diet and activity changes made alongside treatment, and individual physiology — a clinician weighing the two for a specific patient is looking at more than a headline percentage.
Side effect profile
Both drugs carry similar gastrointestinal side effect warnings (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation) that are typically most pronounced during dose escalation. Neither drug's label recommends one over the other for tolerability; that's a case-by-case clinical judgment.