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Mazdutide and tirzepatide are both “dual agonists,” but they pair GLP-1 with a different second receptor — mazdutide with glucagon, tirzepatide with GIP. That single choice changes what each does, and their approval geographies differ too: tirzepatide is FDA-approved, while mazdutide reached the market first in China.
Research reference only. Not medical advice, prescribing guidance, or a product recommendation.
| Dimension | Mazdutide | Tirzepatide |
|---|---|---|
| Receptor targets | Glucagon-R + GLP-1R | GIP-R + GLP-1R |
| Second receptor | Glucagon — energy expenditure, liver fat | GIP — insulinotropic, adipose signaling |
| Molecular basis | Oxyntomodulin-based (natural dual hormone) | Chimeric GIP/GLP-1, de novo design |
| Developer | Eli Lilly / Innovent (IBI362) | Eli Lilly |
| Approval status | Approved in China (NMPA, 2025); not FDA-approved | FDA approved (Mounjaro 2022 · Zepbound 2023) |
| Peak weight ↓ (trial) | ~14.8% (GLORY-1, 6 mg, 48 wk; ~20% at 9 mg) | ~22.5% (SURMOUNT-1, 15 mg, 72 wk) |
| Pivotal trial | GLORY-1 (Chinese adults) | SURMOUNT-1 |
| Molecular weight | 4476 Da | 4813.5 Da |
Both drugs keep GLP-1 and add a second incretin-family receptor, but they choose differently. Tirzepatide pairs GLP-1 with GIP — a complementary insulinotropic and adipose signal — in a de-novo chimeric molecule, and in SURMOUNT-1 it reached ~22.5% mean weight loss, the benchmark for an approved agent. Mazdutide pairs GLP-1 with glucagon, and it is built on oxyntomodulin, the natural gut hormone that already activates both of those receptors on its own; the glucagon arm is studied for extra energy expenditure and liver-fat reduction rather than the insulin-side effect GIP contributes.
The other real difference is where they are approved. Tirzepatide is FDA-approved in the United States. Mazdutide was approved first by China’s NMPA in 2025 — the first glucagon/GLP-1 dual agonist to reach any market — on the strength of the Phase 3 GLORY-1 trial, where the 6 mg dose produced ~14.8% mean weight loss over 48 weeks in Chinese adults (higher doses reached about 20%). It is not FDA-approved, and a head-to-head Phase 3 against semaglutide (GLORY-3) is underway, but none exists against tirzepatide.
−14.8% (6 mg) · −12.0% (4 mg) vs −0.5% (placebo)
Mean body-weight change (Chinese adults) · n=610 · 48 wk — Basis for China NMPA approval; ~20% reported at 9 mg
−22.5% vs −2.4% (placebo)
Mean body-weight change · n=2539 · 72 wk — Pivotal obesity trial for Zepbound
Same class, different partner receptor and different market. Tirzepatide’s GIP pairing and de-novo design underpin the larger reported weight loss and its FDA approval; mazdutide’s glucagon pairing, built from oxyntomodulin, brings an energy-expenditure and liver-fat emphasis and made it the first glucagon/GLP-1 dual approved anywhere — in China. The trial figures come from separate studies in different populations, not a head-to-head, so they are not directly comparable. Neither the numbers nor the approvals make one universally superior; they answer somewhat different questions. This page is a research and educational reference.
Both are dual agonists that keep GLP-1 and add a second receptor — but mazdutide adds glucagon (for energy expenditure and liver-fat effects) while tirzepatide adds GIP (an insulinotropic and adipose signal). Mazdutide is built on the natural hormone oxyntomodulin; tirzepatide is a de-novo chimeric peptide.
No. Mazdutide was approved by China’s NMPA in 2025 — first for weight management, then type 2 diabetes — making it the first glucagon/GLP-1 dual agonist approved anywhere. It is not FDA-approved; outside China it remains investigational. Tirzepatide is FDA-approved (Mounjaro, Zepbound).
Tirzepatide reported ~22.5% in SURMOUNT-1 (15 mg, 72 weeks). Mazdutide reported ~14.8% at 6 mg over 48 weeks in GLORY-1, with about 20% at the higher 9 mg dose. These are separate trials in different populations, not a head-to-head, so they are not directly comparable.
It is a design trade-off, not a settled answer. Glucagon agonism adds energy expenditure and liver-fat mobilization; GIP adds an insulinotropic and adipose signal. The two Phase 3 programs — and eventual head-to-head trials — are what will clarify which pairing wins for which endpoint. This page is a research and educational reference.
Mechanism, evidence, and trade-offs between Mazdutide and Tirzepatide — citation-backed answers grounded in PubMed, PubChem, and ClinicalTrials.gov.