Wegovy vs Mounjaro Dosage Chart: How the Two Schedules Compare

The dose ladders, side by side

The table below maps each medicine's licensed titration steps against typical timing. Numbers come from the respective UK Summaries of Product Characteristics (SmPCs), published on the electronic Medicines Compendium, and from the NICE appraisals for tirzepatide (TA1026) and semaglutide (TA875). The Wegovy 7.2 mg row reflects the MHRA's approval of a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg pen on 14 April 2026, the highest maintenance dose now available for semaglutide in the UK.

Each step lasts roughly four weeks, long enough for the body to adjust before the next increase. Prescribers can slow the schedule if side effects are significant, or hold a dose longer. The decision belongs to the clinician, not the chart.

One practical note: if you are planning your first order around a bank holiday or a period when you know you will be travelling, it is worth raising that with your prescriber at consultation so the schedule can be mapped accordingly.

What the strength difference actually means in trials

The numbers look like they are in different ballparks, and in some ways they are. Tirzepatide acts on two receptors (GIP and GLP-1) while semaglutide targets GLP-1 alone. That dual action is thought to account for at least some of the difference in average weight loss seen in trials. In SURMOUNT-1 (72 weeks, 2,539 participants with obesity, published in the New England Journal of Medicine), the 15 mg tirzepatide group achieved around 20 to 21 per cent average body-weight reduction. STEP 1, the equivalent semaglutide trial at 2.4 mg maintenance, reported roughly 15 per cent over 68 weeks.

The gap narrowed when Novo Nordisk reported data for the 7.2 mg semaglutide dose (around 20.7 per cent average loss over 72 weeks) which approaches tirzepatide's top-end figures. The direct comparison that matters most, though, is SURMOUNT-5: an open-label head-to-head trial (72 weeks, 751 adults with obesity, no diabetes, published in the New England Journal of Medicine 2025) in which tirzepatide produced greater average weight reduction than semaglutide 2.4 mg. The 7.2 mg dose was not in that comparison.

For more on what underpins the per-dose results, the full mounjaro vs wegovy dosage breakdown covers the mechanism and trial data in detail.

Why the dose numbers are so different between the two medicines

A question our prescribers hear regularly: does the bigger number mean a stronger medicine? Not in the way the comparison might imply. The dose is expressed in milligrams of the specific active compound, and the two molecules are structurally different. Semaglutide is active at much lower absolute weights; tirzepatide requires a higher mass to achieve its therapeutic effect. Comparing 2.4 mg semaglutide with 15 mg tirzepatide is a bit like comparing the mass of two very different ingredients in a recipe, the quantity tells you nothing about the outcome without knowing what the ingredient does.

This also explains why the mounjaro vs wegovy dosage chart question comes up so often: readers see 2.4 and 15 and wonder if one is being dosed far more aggressively. It is not. Both schedules were calibrated in large phase 3 trials to balance efficacy with tolerability, and both carry a Black Triangle (▼) status in the UK, meaning additional post-market monitoring continues. The NHS patient information for tirzepatide and for semaglutide describes both schedules in plain language alongside their side-effect profiles.

For a deeper look at why the semaglutide maintenance dose is set where it is relative to tirzepatide, this page on why Wegovy's dose is lower than Mounjaro's addresses that question directly. And if you are thinking about switching between them, the considerations around moving from one schedule to the other involve more than arithmetic.

Choosing between the two: what a prescriber weighs up

The dosage schedule is one input, not the whole picture. A prescriber reviewing a consultation considers BMI, any weight-related conditions (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, sleep apnoea and others), current medications, contraception method for women who could become pregnant, whether the person has used either medicine before, and tolerance history. There is no universally superior option in the chart. The SURMOUNT-5 data favour tirzepatide on average weight loss at the doses compared, but averages are not the same as individual outcomes, and some people do exceptionally well on semaglutide.

Both are licensed for weight management in UK adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above alongside at least one weight-related condition. Lower BMI thresholds apply for some ethnic backgrounds under UK guidance, your prescriber will apply these during assessment. Neither medicine is recommended during pregnancy, when breastfeeding, or for those under 18.

Ozempic, which is also semaglutide, is licensed for type 2 diabetes in the UK, not for weight management, it is not the same as Wegovy and should not be sought as an alternative. The full Wegovy vs Mounjaro comparison covers the broader picture beyond dosage, including how cost context and eligibility play out. If pricing is a factor, the reasons Wegovy typically lists below Mounjaro are explained separately. Which of the two schedules suits you is a clinical decision our prescribers make with you, based on your full picture, not the chart alone. If you are already on Wegovy and considering a move to Zepbound, our guide to switching from Wegovy to Zepbound, including a dosage chart, sets out how that transition is typically approached.