Tirzepatide
ALSO KNOWN AS · Mounjaro · Zepbound
The first approved dual incretin agonist, activating both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Approved for type 2 diabetes, chronic weight management and obstructive sleep apnoea in obesity.
Mechanism
Tirzepatide is a 39-amino-acid synthetic peptide based on the GIP sequence, with a C20 fatty di-acid conjugate. It is an unbalanced agonist — closer to native GIP affinity at GIP-R than at GLP-1R — and the added GIP arm appears to improve tolerability and lipid handling relative to GLP-1 alone.
Clinical evidence
SURMOUNT-1 reported a mean weight reduction of 20.9% on 15 mg at 72 weeks in adults with obesity and without diabetes. In SURPASS-2, tirzepatide outperformed semaglutide 1 mg on HbA1c and weight in type 2 diabetes.
PRIMARY SOURCES
- 01SURMOUNT-1— New England Journal of Medicine
- 02SURPASS-2— New England Journal of Medicine
Educational reference only. Trial figures are protocol-condition means, not individual predictions. Investigational compounds are not approved medicines and have no legitimate consumer supply route.