MARCH 2023

There is a current shortage of GLP-1 receptor agonists currently due to their misuse for weight loss and recent supply chain issues. This is terrifying both patients and healthcare professionals in the world of Type 2 Diabetes because these drugs are incredibly effective, yet safe. The most famous of these drugs on the market is Ozempic, the brand name of the subcutaneous injection medication Semaglutide, which has been praised lately by celebrities and TikTok influencers as an incredible weight loss drug. However, a recent medication came to the market last year which seems even better! Mounjaro, the brand name of Tirzepatide, is a combination of a GLP-1 receptor agonist and a GIP receptor agonist, thus utilizing both incretin pathways to reduce blood sugar levels. However, just like its “cousin” Ozempic, it can result in tremendous weight loss. After noticing this, scientists in the northeast decided to compare the two drugs.

A study by the New England Journal of Medicine compared Mounjaro to Ozempic for both blood glucose management and weight loss. They wondered if Mounjaro’s second mechanism, utilizing the GIP pathway, would allow it to lower blood glucose levels in Type Two Diabetes patients more effectively than Ozempic. Additionally, they tried to see if Mounjaro would also cause increased weight loss. As was expected, Mounjaro defeated Ozempic in both categories, however, it was observed that it also caused worse side effects. The researchers noticed that the Mounjaro group had worse GI side effects, had higher cases of hypoglycemia, and had greater injection site reaction sensitivity. Additionally, more patients died on Mounjaro than Ozempic. However, patients catching COVID-19 was a confounding variable in the study, so it wasn’t conclusive that Mounjaro was the more dangerous drug.

The conclusion of the study was that Mounjaro “defeated” Ozempic in terms of causing greater reductions in both HbA1c ( a measure of blood glucose levels) and weight loss. It was apparent that Mounjaro’s dual action of GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist activity allowed it to be superior than Ozempic, which only utilized one of those pathways. However, due to greater side-effects experienced by Mounjaro, Ozempic still would be a viable option as an effective medication to treat patients with Type Two Diabetes.

Reference: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2107519