Semaglutide vs Tirzepatide: what is the difference?
Semaglutide acts on the GLP-1 receptor alone, while tirzepatide hits both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors, the basis for its larger reported weight loss.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- Structural similaritycomputedRDKit Morgan/Tanimoto0.71 of 1, a Morgan fingerprint Tanimoto coefficient. It measures shape, not effect.
Side by side
| Semaglutide | Tirzepatide | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 4,114 g/molC187H291N45O59 | 4,813 g/molC225H348N48O68 |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 57 | 58 |
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Diabetes medicines | Diabetes medicines |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Prescription medicine | Prescription medicine |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Alcohols, Carboxylic Acids, Amines, Aromatics, Amides, Phenols, Ethers | Alcohols, Carboxylic Acids, Amines, Aromatics, Amides, Phenols, Ethers |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA via PubChem | Danger | Warning |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 56843331 (Semaglutide) and 156588324 (Tirzepatide).
In more detail
Both are injectable peptides that copy gut hormones. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist; tirzepatide is a dual agonist, hitting both GIP and GLP-1 receptors, which is the basis for the larger average weight loss reported in head-to-head trials. Both carry a fatty acid chain that binds albumin and stretches their action to about a week. Both weigh more than 4000, semaglutide at 4114 and tirzepatide at 4813, about ten times a typical small-molecule medicine, so both are chains and neither survives the stomach in its ordinary form. Semaglutide is sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, tirzepatide as Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Semaglutide and Tirzepatide?
- Semaglutide acts on the GLP-1 receptor alone, while tirzepatide hits both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors, the basis for its larger reported weight loss.
- Is Semaglutide bigger than Tirzepatide?
- Tirzepatide is the heavier molecule, 4,813 g/mol against 4,114 g/mol for Semaglutide. Semaglutide is C187H291N45O59 and Tirzepatide is C225H348N48O68.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.