Ozempic vs Trulicity
Last reviewed against the current FDA prescribing information for both products. Not medical advice.
Short answer
Ozempic and Trulicity are both once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist injections FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, and neither is approved for weight management. Ozempic is semaglutide from Novo Nordisk; Trulicity is dulaglutide from Eli Lilly.
Both are approved to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes: Ozempic in people with established cardiovascular disease, Trulicity in people with established disease or multiple risk factors. Ozempic is also approved to lower kidney-disease risk in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, while Trulicity is also approved for children 10 and older.
The pens differ too: Trulicity is a single-dose pen for each weekly dose, while Ozempic uses a multi-dose pen with separate needles (or single-dose syringes). Your prescriber can help weigh these against your health history and coverage.
Key differences
- Active ingredient: semaglutide (Ozempic) vs dulaglutide (Trulicity).
- Dose range: 0.25 mg → 2 mg weekly (Ozempic) vs 0.75 mg → 4.5 mg weekly (Trulicity).
- Extra approved uses: kidney-risk reduction in chronic kidney disease (Ozempic) vs use in children 10 and older (Trulicity).
- Devices: multi-dose pen with needles, or single-dose syringes (Ozempic) vs single-dose pens (Trulicity).
- Room-temperature limit: 56 days after first use (Ozempic pen) vs 14 days in total (Trulicity pen).
Ozempic and Trulicity side by side
| From the FDA label | Ozempic | Trulicity |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | semaglutide | dulaglutide |
| Drug class | GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Eli Lilly |
| FDA-approved uses |
|
|
| Approved for weight management? | No | No |
| How it's taken | Injection under the skin (subcutaneous) | Injection under the skin (subcutaneous) |
| How often | Once weekly | Once weekly |
| Starting dose | 0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks | 0.75 mg once weekly (adults) |
| Dose increases | Then 0.5 mg once weekly. If more blood sugar control is needed, the dose can go up to 1 mg, then 2 mg, each after at least 4 weeks on the current dose | Adults: after 4 weeks, may increase to 1.5 mg, then in 1.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks on each dose if more blood sugar control is needed. Children: may increase to 1.5 mg after at least 4 weeks |
| Maintenance dose | 0.5 mg, 1 mg or 2 mg once weekly (1 mg for the chronic kidney disease indication) | Set by your prescriber based on blood sugar control, within the dose range above |
| Maximum dose | 2 mg once weekly | 4.5 mg once weekly in adults; 1.5 mg once weekly in children |
| When to take it | Same day each week, any time of day, with or without meals. The injection day can be changed if the last dose was at least 2 days (48 hours) earlier | Any time of day, with or without food. The injection day can be changed if the last dose was 3 or more days earlier |
| Pens and devices | Multi-dose pens (0.25/0.5 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg dose pens) with NovoFine Plus needles included, and single-dose prefilled syringes (0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg) | Single-dose pens: 0.75 mg, 1.5 mg, 3 mg and 4.5 mg |
| Storage | Before first use: refrigerate. After first use, a pen can be kept at room temperature (59–86°F) or in the fridge for 56 days. Do not freeze | Refrigerate. Each pen can be kept at room temperature (up to 86°F) for a total of 14 days. Do not freeze |
| Weight results in the label | None: not a weight-management product | None: not a weight-management product |
| Most common side effects (≥5%) | Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain, Constipation | Nausea, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Decreased appetite |
| Boxed warning | Risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. Do not use if you or a family member have had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). | Risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. Do not use if you or a family member have had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). |
| First FDA approval | December 5, 2017 | September 18, 2014 |
Side effects listed are the label's “most common adverse reactions”; the full label also covers serious risks such as pancreatitis, gallbladder problems and low blood sugar. Weight results come from separate placebo-controlled trials and are not a head-to-head comparison unless stated.
Good to know
- Ozempic injection is not FDA-approved for weight management. The weight-management semaglutide product is Wegovy.
- Semaglutide is also sold as a once-daily tablet under the Ozempic and Rybelsus names, which has its own label. This page covers the weekly injection.
- Trulicity is not FDA-approved for weight management.
Questions to ask your prescriber
- Which of these is approved for my diagnosis, and is it covered by my plan?
- How should I step up the dose, and what should I do if the side effects are hard to tolerate?
- Do any of my other medicines, or my personal or family history, rule one of these out?
- If I switch from one to the other, what dose should I start on and when?
Sources
- Ozempic (semaglutide) injection — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed (label effective June 1, 2026, version 20) (Sections 1, 2, 3, 6, 16, boxed warning, Instructions for Use; checked September 24, 2026)
- Drugs@FDA: NDA 209637 (Ozempic injection) (Original approval date; checked September 24, 2026)
- Rybelsus / Ozempic (oral semaglutide) tablets — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed (Existence of the Ozempic tablet; checked September 24, 2026)
- Trulicity (dulaglutide) injection — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed (label effective June 16, 2026, version 62) (Sections 1, 2.1, 3, 6, 16, boxed warning; checked September 24, 2026)
- Drugs@FDA: BLA 125469 (Trulicity) (Original approval date; checked September 24, 2026)
How we review: every fact on this page is taken from the current FDA prescribing information on DailyMed or from Drugs@FDA, and re-checked on the date shown. This page was reviewed against FDA labeling, not by a named clinician.
Medical disclaimer: This page is general information, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and it doesn't cover every use, dose, warning or side effect. Always follow the advice of your doctor, pharmacist or other prescriber and read the Medication Guide that comes with your medicine. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call your local emergency number. ShotWise is a tracking app and does not prescribe, sell or recommend any medication.
