Medications· 9 min read· March 24, 2026

Ozempic vs Mounjaro for Type 2 Diabetes: A1c, Weight Loss, and Cost in 2026

Mounjaro pulls A1c down further. Ozempic has more cardiovascular outcome data. Which one your endocrinologist should pick depends on three things.

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A1c reduction

In SURPASS-2, tirzepatide 15 mg lowered A1c by 2.30 percentage points from a baseline of 8.3% — vs 1.86 points for semaglutide 1 mg. That gap holds at lower doses too: tirzepatide 5 mg outperforms semaglutide 1 mg.

If your A1c is above 9%, the extra A1c-lowering punch of tirzepatide is clinically meaningful. If you're already in the 7s, both will likely get you to target.

Weight loss

Mounjaro produces 12–15 lb more weight loss than Ozempic at top doses in T2D patients. For a patient with diabetes and obesity, this is usually the deciding factor.

Cardiovascular outcomes

Ozempic (and Wegovy) have the SUSTAIN-6 and SELECT trials behind them — proven reduction in MACE (major adverse cardiac events). Tirzepatide's CV outcome trial (SURPASS-CVOT) is still reading out. If you've had a heart attack or stroke, semaglutide currently has the stronger evidence base.

Cost

Both are covered by most commercial plans and Medicare Part D for type 2 diabetes. Cash prices are similar ($900–$1,000/mo). Manufacturer coupons can drop a covered patient's copay to $25/mo.

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