Understanding Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro: What you need to know about these weight-loss therapies

The simplest way to understand them is this: Ozempic and Wegovy both contain semaglutide, while Mounjaro contains tirzepatide.

South Africans are hearing more and more about Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, but the three medicines are not interchangeable “weight-loss injections.”

They are prescription treatments with different active ingredients, different approved uses and different risk profiles, and that distinction matters in a market where public confusion, off-label use, counterfeit products and affordability all shape access.

The simplest way to understand them is this: Ozempic and Wegovy both contain semaglutide, while Mounjaro contains tirzepatide.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and tirzepatide works on both GLP-1 and GIP receptors. That is why they are often discussed in the same breath, even though they are not the same medicine.