How much semaglutide is in Mounjaro — and why the answer changes everything

Step 1: Understand what's actually in each pen before you compare prices

Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, made by Eli Lilly. Wegovy contains semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk. These are not interchangeable names for the same drug. Tirzepatide activates two gut-hormone receptors (GIP and GLP-1) while semaglutide targets only the GLP-1 receptor. That dual mechanism is one reason the clinical trial results differ between the two medicines, and it is part of why their UK list prices sit at different points.

The SURMOUNT-5 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025, compared tirzepatide directly against semaglutide 2.4mg over 72 weeks in adults with obesity. Tirzepatide produced a greater average weight reduction. NICE's appraisal of tirzepatide (TA1026) also notes that indirect comparisons favour tirzepatide, though it adds the important caveat that individual responses vary. If you want to see how the two medicines stack up on a practical level, our Wegovy vs Mounjaro comparison covers the evidence side by side.

None of this means one is always right for you. A prescriber reviews your health history, current medicines, and BMI before recommending anything. The molecule matters; so does the person taking it.

Step 2: Understand how UK private pricing actually works for these medicines

Because tirzepatide and semaglutide are prescription-only medicines (POMs), the price you pay for either one through a private pharmacy always reflects more than the pen itself. It includes a clinical assessment, a prescription, and (with reputable providers) some form of ongoing support. Eli Lilly raised Mounjaro's UK list price in September 2025; reported private prices since then range roughly £149 to £375 per month depending on the dose and the provider. Those are market figures, not what any specific pharmacy charges, and they move.

A headline price that looks low at first glance often excludes pieces of the picture. Some providers charge separately for the initial consultation, the prescription itself, follow-up reviews before a dose increase, or the delivery. By the time you add those together, the low number has grown. Our page on the cost difference between tirzepatide and semaglutide pulls these variables apart so you can read any quote clearly. It's a question our prescribers hear most weeks: why do two prices for the same dose look so different from two different services? If you're trying to work out whether Mounjaro or Wegovy is cheaper once all those extras are factored in, the answer depends more on the provider's pricing structure than on the medicines themselves.

Worth checking what the number you're looking at actually covers.

Step 3: See what an all-in price should include, and why the cheapest quote isn't the right test

At nume, one price covers the consultation, the prescription, the medicine, and free next-working-day delivery via DPD. There are no add-on fees, no subscription and no auto-renewal. Every repeat order gets a fresh clinical review before it goes anywhere near the pharmacy shelf. We are not the cheapest option on the market, and that is a deliberate choice: the infrastructure that keeps treatment safe (identity checks, live weight verification, GP notification, prescriber oversight at every stage) costs something, and we would rather be transparent about that than strip it out to win a price comparison.

For a prescription medicine, price is the wrong test. The right questions are whether the pharmacy is GPhC-registered (verifiable at the GPhC register, where you can check our registration number 9012878), whether a qualified prescriber personally reviews your case, and whether the medicine comes through the licensed UK supply chain. The MHRA has warned publicly about counterfeit weight-loss pens sold online, some seized fake pens contained insulin rather than the stated medicine. Offers that appear well below the market rate, or sellers who supply these medicines without a prescription, are a serious warning sign. Report any suspect seller through the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme.

If you'd like a clearer sense of what the treatment costs through nume, or how Mounjaro compares with Wegovy on price, our Wegovy and Mounjaro cost comparison lays it out plainly. Doses don't map neatly between the two pens, so if you're wondering how 5mg of Mounjaro compares to a Wegovy dose, that context matters when you're reading any side-by-side breakdown of Wegovy and Mounjaro costs. You can also read more about our clinical team on the prescriber profile page if you'd like to know who reviews your consultation.

When you're ready, a free consultation with our prescribers is the next step, same-day clinical review, dispatched the same day if you order before noon, and on your doorstep the next working day.