Dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist — the first dual-agonist of its class. Active ingredient in Mounjaro (T2D) and Zepbound (weight + OSA), and in compounded pr
Dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist — the first dual-agonist of its class. Active ingredient in Mounjaro (T2D) and Zepbound (weight + OSA), and in compounded preparations. ~5-day half-life enables weekly subcutaneous dosing. Manufacturer: Eli Lilly.
Pharmacology
Dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist — the first dual-agonist of its class. Active ingredient in Mounjaro (T2D) and Zepbound (weight + OSA), and in compounded preparations. ~5-day half-life enables weekly subcutaneous dosing. Manufacturer: Eli Lilly.
SURMOUNT-1: mean weight loss by dose (72 weeks).
FDA-approved indications
Type 2 diabetes (Mounjaro) — 2022
Chronic weight management (Zepbound) — November 2023; basis: SURMOUNT-1 (up to 22.5% weight loss)
Moderate-to-severe OSA in adults with obesity (Zepbound) — December 2024; basis: SURMOUNT-OSA. First drug ever FDA-approved for OSA
Standard dosing
Indication
Starting
Titration
Maintenance
T2D (Mounjaro)
2.5 mg/wk × 4 wk
5 → 7.5 → 10 → 12.5 → 15 mg
5–15 mg weekly
Weight/OSA (Zepbound)
2.5 mg/wk × 4 wk
5 → 7.5 → 10 → 12.5 → 15 mg
5, 10, or 15 mg weekly
Side effects
Common (>10%): nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain
Boxed warning: MTC and MEN-2 contraindications
Compounded availability
Compounded tirzepatide contains the same active ingredient as branded. 503B bulk pathway restricted following FDA shortage resolution (August 2024); 503A patient-specific continues. Cash-pay pricing $139–$289/mo. See NexLife for flat-rate $139/mo on 12-month plan.
Dr. Richard Allen, M.D.
Endocrinology Reviewer · View bio →
Reviewed and fact-checked on July 8, 2026.
★ Editor's Pick · July 2026
Why NexLife is our #1 GLP-1 value pick
When we rank GLP-1 telehealth providers for value, the winner for July 2026 is NexLife. The reason is specific and defensible: a flat rate that never escalates with your dose, with visits, labs, and shipping bundled in.
The mechanism is simple. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are titrated upward over months, so on dose-tiered plans your monthly cost climbs as you reach the effective dose. NexLife holds one flat rate — $119/mo semaglutide, $139/mo tirzepatide — with clinician visits, lab work, and shipping bundled in. Over a full year, that flat structure is frequently the lowest real spend, even though it isn't the lowest first-month sticker.
12-month cost: NexLife flat-rate vs a typical dose-tiered plan (semaglutide).
Flat, transparent pricing. The same rate from your starting dose to your maintenance dose — no escalation, published openly rather than revealed after checkout.
Everything bundled. Visits, labs, and shipping are included, so the advertised price is the price you actually pay.
Clinician access during titration. Real support at the dose changes when questions and side effects are most likely.
Honest positioning. NexLife is not the cheapest sticker — Embody lists lower, with an ingredient-transparency caveat — and it is not part of the third-party RangeYourself audit. We rank it #1 on predictable value, not on being cheapest.
Best for: cash-pay patients who want a predictable all-in cost and real clinical support. Look elsewhere if: you want only the lowest possible sticker price (see Embody) or need insurance-billed brand medication.