Mounjaro vs Wegovy Dosage: What the Schedules Actually Look Like

The myth worth correcting first: 'higher strength means stronger medicine'

Search results often frame Mounjaro's milligram numbers as proof it's more potent than Wegovy. It isn't that simple. The two medicines work through different receptors — Mounjaro (tirzepatide) activates both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors, while Wegovy (semaglutide) targets GLP-1 alone. Their dose values are set independently during drug development and can't be compared by the number printed on the pen. A 15 mg Mounjaro dose and a 2.4 mg Wegovy dose are both maximum maintenance doses; the figures just describe different molecules measured on different scales.

This matters because patients sometimes assume they need the 'biggest number' or that starting low means the treatment isn't working. In fact, the starter doses on both schedules exist to let your digestive system adjust, reducing the nausea and GI upset that can otherwise make early weeks uncomfortable. Skipping ahead or comparing your dose number to a friend's on the other medicine is the kind of thing that leads to unnecessary side effects, and unnecessary worry. See our broader Wegovy vs Mounjaro comparison for context beyond dosing alone.

A practical checking habit worth building: before each new pen, glance at the label and confirm the strength matches what your prescriber has recorded. Takes under a minute and catches pharmacy dispensing slip-ups early.

The Mounjaro dosage schedule, step by step

Mounjaro comes in six UK strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg, each delivered via a pre-filled KwikPen that holds four weekly doses. Treatment opens at 2.5 mg (a tolerability step whose job is settling your system rather than producing weight loss) and steps up roughly every four weeks, guided by your prescriber. The 15 mg dose is both the ceiling and the level at which SURMOUNT-1 trial participants achieved an average body-weight reduction of around 20 to 21 per cent over 72 weeks, according to the published trial in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Not everyone reaches 15 mg. Your prescriber will assess how well each dose is tolerated before moving forward, and NICE's guidance (TA1026) notes that treatment should be reviewed if weight loss falls below 5 per cent after six months at the highest tolerated dose. Some people maintain meaningful results at 10 mg or 12.5 mg. Our comparison of the two starter doses explains why both opening steps exist and what to expect in the first month.

The Wegovy dosage schedule, including the newer 7.2 mg option

Wegovy (semaglutide) follows a five-rung ladder: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg, 1.7 mg, and 2.4 mg, escalated approximately every four weeks. The 2.4 mg dose was the standard maintenance level when STEP 1 reported around 15 per cent average weight reduction over 68 weeks, as published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In January 2026 the MHRA approved a higher 7.2 mg maintenance dose for Wegovy, and on 14 April 2026 a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg pen was approved, one injection per week, with a built-in covered needle that locks after use. Trials at this higher dose reported average weight loss of around 20.7 per cent over 72 weeks, which brings Wegovy's ceiling closer to Mounjaro's. The 7.2 mg licence is for adults with a BMI of 30 or above; the titration still begins at 0.25 mg and climbs through the same steps. A closer look at how Wegovy's dose range compares with Mounjaro's full ladder is on our dedicated page.

NICE recommends semaglutide (Wegovy) only within specialist weight management services and for a maximum of two years, per TA875, a restriction that doesn't apply to tirzepatide under TA1026. That difference in NHS terms is worth knowing if you're weighing the two options.

How the two schedules sit side by side

The table below sets out the factual comparison. Dose numbers are from the approved SmPCs; trial outcomes are sourced from the NEJM publications cited above and NICE technology appraisal documents.

Head-to-head data from SURMOUNT-5 (2025) showed tirzepatide produced greater average weight reduction than semaglutide 2.4 mg over 72 weeks, but that comparison pre-dates the 7.2 mg approval, which narrows the gap considerably. Which schedule produces the better outcome for a given individual depends on far more than the headline percentages. Our dosage chart page sets out the full ladder side by side visually if that format helps.

If you're considering switching from one to the other, dose conversion is a clinical question rather than arithmetic, the strengths don't map across directly. The switching guide covers what a prescriber looks at before making that change. For cost context alongside the dosing picture, our price comparison page gives the honest figures. Which treatment is right for you is a clinical decision our prescribers make with you, start your free consultation and speak to our team today.