Mounjaro: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects, Cost, Coverage
Mounjaro is a weekly injection of tirzepatide made by Eli Lilly, first FDA approved in 2022, for type 2 diabetes and heart risk. List price is $1,112.16 per fill before insurance. Nausea is the most common side effect in its label: 18% vs 4% on placebo.
- Active ingredient
- tirzepatide
- Manufacturer
- Eli Lilly
- How it is taken
- weekly injection
- First FDA approval
- 2022
- List price
- $1,112.16 per fill
- Most common side effect
- Nausea 18% vs 4% on placebo
- FDA shortage
- Resolved December 19, 2024
Mounjaro in brief
Its half-life is about 5 days: after 5 d, half is gone, and about 3% remains after five half-lives (25 d).
In SURPASS-1, over 40 weeks, people with type 2 diabetes lost 7.8 kg, against 1 kg on placebo.
Monthly prices are listed in US dollars, covering the list price and self-pay offers read from the maker's price page.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), healthsystemtracker.org, pricinginfo.lilly.com.
Mounjaro uses and forms
Mounjaro uses, forms and warnings come from the FDA label. The label and your prescriber decide your dose.
| What the label says | |
|---|---|
| Approved use | Used with diet and exercise, it lowers blood sugar for adults and children 10 and older who have type 2 diabetes. |
| Approved use | For adults at high risk who have type 2 diabetes, it lowers the chance of stroke, heart attack or heart-related death. |
| Forms | KwikPen (4 doses), plus a single-dose pen, a single-dose vial and a multi-dose vial |
| Strengths on the label | available strengths: 2.5 mg and 5 mg, then 7.5 mg and 10 mg, then 12.5 mg and 15 mg |
| Boxed warning | The boxed warning says this drug caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents. Whether it does the same in people is not known. It must not be used by anyone with medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) in their own or family history, or with MEN 2. |
| Storage | Refrigerate it; a one-dose pen or vial may go unrefrigerated (up to 86°F) for no more than 21 days after leaving the fridge. Do not freeze. |
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
What the Mounjaro trials showed
| Trial | Who took part | Length | Group | A1C change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SURPASS-2 | Adults with type 2 diabetes on metformin | 40 weeks | Tirzepatide 5 mg weekly | -2.01 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
| SURPASS-2 | Adults with type 2 diabetes on metformin | 40 weeks | Tirzepatide 10 mg weekly | -2.24 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
| SURPASS-2 | Adults with type 2 diabetes on metformin | 40 weeks | Tirzepatide 15 mg weekly | -2.3 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
| SURPASS-2 | Adults with type 2 diabetes on metformin | 40 weeks | Semaglutide 1 mg weekly | -1.86 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
| SURPASS-1 | Adults with type 2 diabetes using only diet and exercise | 40 weeks | Tirzepatide 5 mg weekly | -1.87 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
| SURPASS-1 | Adults with type 2 diabetes using only diet and exercise | 40 weeks | Tirzepatide 10 mg weekly | -1.89 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
| SURPASS-1 | Adults with type 2 diabetes using only diet and exercise | 40 weeks | Tirzepatide 15 mg weekly | -2.07 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
Mounjaro side effects
Each side effect's rate in the label's trials, set beside placebo (a dummy treatment). Adults with type 2 diabetes were the people studied.
| Side effect | Mounjaro 5 mg | Mounjaro 10 mg | Mounjaro 15 mg | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 12% | 15% | 18% | 4% |
| Diarrhea | 12% | 13% | 17% | 9% |
| Decreased Appetite | 5% | 10% | 11% | 1% |
| Vomiting | 5% | 5% | 9% | 2% |
| Dyspepsia | 8% | 8% | 5% | 3% |
| Constipation | 6% | 6% | 7% | 1% |
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
Warnings on the label: Risk of Thyroid C-Cell Tumors, Acute Pancreatitis, Hypoglycemia with Concomitant Use of Insulin Secretagogues or Insulin, Hypersensitivity Reactions, Acute Kidney Injury Due to Volume Depletion, Severe Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions, Diabetic Retinopathy Complications in Patients with a History of Diabetic Retinopathy and Acute Gallbladder Disease.
Label warnings source: FDA label (DailyMed).
Mounjaro interactions
| Taken with | What the label says |
|---|---|
| Insulin or sulfonylureas | Combining it with insulin or a sulfonylurea (for example, glipizide or glimepiride) raises the chance of low blood sugar; your doctor may reduce those doses. |
| Oral medicines | Because it slows stomach emptying, it may affect how your body absorbs other pills. |
| Birth control pills | For a while, birth control pills may work less well with it; use a method that is not oral, or add a barrier method after you start and after each dose increase. |
| Warfarin and narrow-range drugs | Drugs where small level changes matter (for example warfarin) need to be monitored more closely. |
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed).
Check a GLP-1 interaction
Mounjaro cost and coverage
| How you pay | Price |
|---|---|
| List price before insurance | $1,112.16 per fill |
| Mounjaro Savings Card (insured) | from $25 for up to a 3-month fill |
| Commercial plan that does not cover it | $499 per month |
Prices checked November 2026 at pricinginfo.lilly.com and mounjaro.lilly.com.
- Mounjaro Coupon and Savings Card
- Mounjaro Price
- Cheapest Way to Get Mounjaro
- Mounjaro Cost Without Insurance
- Mounjaro Cost With Insurance
- Mounjaro Insurance Coverage
- Does Medicare Cover Mounjaro? Part D Rules, the Bridge, Copays
- Does BCBS Cover Mounjaro? Diabetes-Only Rules by Plan, Appeals
- Mounjaro at Walgreens
- Mounjaro Patient Assistance
- Mounjaro at Amazon Pharmacy
- Mounjaro at Walmart
Alternatives to Mounjaro
| Medicine | Ingredient | How it is taken | Shared use | Trial weight loss | Self-pay from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ozempic | semaglutide | weekly injection | heart risk and type 2 diabetes | Not listed | $199 per month |
 Wegovy | semaglutide | weekly injection or daily tablet | heart risk | 14.9% | $149 per month |
 Rybelsus | semaglutide | daily tablet | heart risk and type 2 diabetes | Not listed | Not listed |
 Trulicity | dulaglutide | weekly injection | heart risk and type 2 diabetes | Not listed | Not listed |
 Victoza | liraglutide | daily injection | heart risk and type 2 diabetes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Byetta | exenatide | twice-daily injection | type 2 diabetes | Not listed | Not listed |
Sources: TrumpRx, FDA label (DailyMed).
The Mounjaro label and studies
For the full prescribing details, read the Mounjaro label on DailyMed.
Every Mounjaro page
Safety and side effects
Interactions
- Mounjaro and A1C
- Mounjaro and Adderall
- Mounjaro and Alcohol
- Mounjaro and Antidepressants
- Mounjaro and Birth Control
- Mounjaro and Coffee
- Mounjaro and Insulin
- Mounjaro and Jardiance
- Mounjaro and Metformin
- Mounjaro and Other Medications
- Mounjaro and Painkillers
- Mounjaro and Phentermine
- Mounjaro and Probiotics
- Mounjaro and the FDA
- Mounjaro and Thyroid Medication
- Mounjaro and Wellbutrin
Who it is meant for
- Is Mounjaro Approved for Weight Loss? Label, BMI Rules, Coverage
- Mounjaro and Pregnancy
- Mounjaro Before Surgery
- Mounjaro for Breastfeeding
- Mounjaro for Depression Patients
- Mounjaro for Men
- Mounjaro for PCOS
- Mounjaro for Prediabetes
- Mounjaro for Seniors
- Mounjaro for Teens
- Mounjaro for Type 1 Diabetes
- Mounjaro for Type 2 Diabetes
- Mounjaro for Weight Loss
Other drug comparisons
Coverage, savings and cost
- Cheapest Way to Get Mounjaro
- Does BCBS Cover Mounjaro? Diabetes-Only Rules by Plan, Appeals
- Does Cigna Cover Mounjaro? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Does CVS Caremark Cover Mounjaro? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Does Humana Cover Mounjaro? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Does Kaiser Cover Mounjaro? Criteria by Region, PA Form, Appeals
- Does Medicaid Cover Mounjaro? State-by-State Rules and PA
- Does Medicare Cover Mounjaro? Part D Rules, the Bridge, Copays
- Does Navitus Cover Mounjaro? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Does TRICARE Cover Mounjaro? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
- Mounjaro at Alto Pharmacy
- Mounjaro at Amazon Pharmacy
- Mounjaro at Cost Plus Drugs
- Mounjaro at Heb
- Mounjaro at Publix
- Mounjaro at Rite Aid
- Mounjaro at Walgreens
- Mounjaro at Walmart
- Mounjaro Cost With Insurance
- Mounjaro Cost Without Insurance
- Mounjaro Coupon and Savings Card
- Mounjaro Insurance Coverage
- Mounjaro Patient Assistance
- Mounjaro Price
How to get a prescription
Living with it
- Mounjaro and Creatine
- Mounjaro and Exercise
- Mounjaro and Intermittent Fasting
- Mounjaro and Keto
- Mounjaro and Vitamins
- Mounjaro Before and After
- Mounjaro Diet
- Mounjaro Foods to Avoid (and Why They Trigger Nausea and Reflux)
- Mounjaro Not Working? The Checklist, in Order
- Mounjaro Reddit
- Mounjaro Reviews
- Mounjaro Timeline
- Protein on Mounjaro
- Stopping Mounjaro
Label, trials and news
- Compounded Mounjaro (Tirzepatide)
- How Effective Is Mounjaro? Every Trial's A1C and Weight Numbers
- How Mounjaro Works (and How Fast)
- Is Mounjaro Insulin? No. What It Is and How It Differs
- Is There a Generic Mounjaro? Status, Timeline, and What Counts
- Is There a Mounjaro Pill? No - Here Are the Real Oral Options
- Mounjaro FDA Approval
- Mounjaro KwikPen
- Mounjaro Lawsuit Explained
- Mounjaro Prescribing Information, Explained Section by Section
- Mounjaro Vial