What is the dosing for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for weight loss?

From the Guidelines

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) dosing for weight loss is 5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg once weekly.

Dosing Details

• The dosing is administered subcutaneously once weekly, with a maximum appropriate dose of 15 mg 1.
• Studies have shown that the 15 mg weekly dose is associated with the greatest weight loss, with a mean weight loss of 20.9% at 72-week follow-up 1.

Key Considerations

• The medication has a black box warning for the risk of thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents, although human relevance has not been determined 1.
• Common side effects include gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, esophageal reflux), injection site reactions, elevated heart rate, and hypoglycemia 1.
• Patients with kidney disease should be used with caution when initiating or increasing the dose due to the potential risk of acute kidney injury 1.
• It is also important to monitor the effects of oral medications with a narrow therapeutic index (such as warfarin) or whose efficacy is dependent on threshold concentration 1.

From the FDA Drug Label

1. 1 Dosage The recommended starting dosage of MOUNJARO is 2.5 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly. Follow the dosage escalation below to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions The 2. 5 mg dosage is for treatment initiation and is not intended for glycemic control. After 4 weeks, increase the dosage to 5 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly. If additional glycemic control is needed, increase the dosage in 2. 5 mg increments after at least 4 weeks on the current dose. The maximum dosage of MOUNJARO is 15 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly.

The dosing for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is as follows:

• Starting dose: 2.5 mg subcutaneously once weekly
• Dose escalation: increase to 5 mg after 4 weeks, and further increments of 2.5 mg every 4 weeks as needed
• Maximum dose: 15 mg subcutaneously once weekly 2

From the Research

Dosing for Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) for Weight Loss

• The dosing for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for weight loss has been studied in several clinical trials, with doses of 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg once weekly being evaluated 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
• In the SURMOUNT-1 trial, participants received tirzepatide at doses of 5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg once weekly for 72 weeks, with significant reductions in body weight observed at all doses 5.
• The mean percentage change in body weight at week 72 was -15.0% with the 5-mg dose, -19.5% with the 10-mg dose, and -20.9% with the 15-mg dose, compared to -3.1% with placebo 5.
• In the SURMOUNT-4 trial, participants who received tirzepatide at a dose of 10 mg or 15 mg once weekly for 36 weeks experienced a mean weight reduction of 20.9%, and those who continued to receive tirzepatide for an additional 52 weeks maintained a significant portion of this weight loss 6.
• A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that tirzepatide significantly reduced body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and body weight compared to placebo, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), and insulin 7.
• The most common adverse events associated with tirzepatide were gastrointestinal, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite, which were generally mild to moderate in severity and occurred primarily during the dose-escalation period 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Efficacy of Tirzepatide for Weight Loss

• Tirzepatide has been shown to be effective for weight loss in adults with obesity, with significant reductions in body weight observed at doses of 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg once weekly 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
• The efficacy of tirzepatide for weight loss appears to be dose-dependent, with higher doses associated with greater weight loss 4, 5, 7.
• Tirzepatide has also been shown to be effective for maintaining weight loss over time, with significant portions of initial weight loss maintained at 52 weeks and beyond 6.

Safety of Tirzepatide for Weight Loss

• The safety of tirzepatide for weight loss has been evaluated in several clinical trials, with gastrointestinal adverse events being the most common 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
• The incidence of gastrointestinal adverse events was higher with tirzepatide compared to placebo, but similar to or lower than that observed with GLP-1 RAs and insulin 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
• The risk of hypoglycemia with tirzepatide was lower than that observed with insulin, but slightly higher than that observed with placebo and GLP-1 RAs 7.