FDA-Approved GLP-1 Medications Compared

Comparing 5 compounds by evidence grade, FDA status, mechanism, and key safety considerations: Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Dulaglutide, Liraglutide, Orforglipron.

	Semaglutide	Tirzepatide	Dulaglutide	Liraglutide	Orforglipron
Evidence grade	Grade A: Approved and proven	Grade A: Approved and proven	Grade A: Approved and proven	Grade A: Approved and proven	Grade A: Approved and proven
FDA status	FDA approved Approved as Ozempic (subcutaneous injection, type 2 diabetes), Wegovy (subcutaneous injection 2.4 mg and oral 25 mg tablet, chronic weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction in obesity), and Rybelsus (oral tablet, type 2 diabetes).	FDA approved Approved as Mounjaro (subcutaneous injection, type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (subcutaneous injection, chronic weight management and, additionally, obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity).	FDA approved Approved as Trulicity (once-weekly subcutaneous injection) for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes in adults and to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors.	FDA approved Approved as Victoza (1.2 mg or 1.8 mg subcutaneous injection, type 2 diabetes with cardiovascular risk reduction) and Saxenda (3.0 mg subcutaneous injection, chronic weight management in adults and adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity).	FDA approved FDA-approved April 1, 2026, for obesity (BMI at least 30 kg/m²) or overweight (BMI at least 27 kg/m²) with at least one weight-related comorbidity.
Mechanism	Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that stimulates glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, slows gastric emptying, and reduces appetite via central and peripheral GLP-1 receptor activation.	Tirzepatide is a dual GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 receptor agonist, which stimulates insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, reduces appetite, and slows gastric emptying through activation of both receptor pathways.	Dulaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that promotes glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, and reduces food intake.	Liraglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that stimulates glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon, delays gastric emptying, and reduces appetite through central GLP-1 receptor activation.	Non-peptide small molecule that selectively activates the GLP-1 receptor, suppressing appetite through central and peripheral pathways, slowing gastric emptying, and enhancing glucose-dependent insulin secretion.
Key safety	Boxed warning: semaglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents at clinically relevant exposures; human relevance is unknown but it is contraindicated in pat...	Boxed warning: tirzepatide causes thyroid C-cell tumors in rats at clinically relevant exposures; human relevance is unknown and the drug is contraindicated in...	Boxed warning: dulaglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors in rats in a dose- and duration-dependent manner; human relevance is unknown. Contraindicated in patient...	Boxed warning: liraglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents at clinically relevant exposures; it is unknown whether it causes medullary thyroid carcinoma...	Foundayo carries an FDA boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors: GLP-1 receptor agonists pharmacologically active in rodents have caused thyroid C-cell adenomas...