Dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist. Documented pharmacogenomic response variation via GLP1R variants.
Engineered fatty-acid-conjugated 39-amino acid peptide. Activates both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. SURMOUNT trials show 15-22% body weight reduction at 72 weeks. SURPASS shows superior A1C reduction vs. semaglutide in T2D. GLP1R variant (rs6923761) shows ~3% additional weight-loss variance.
Pancreatitis and gallbladder events watched. Compounded versions (research grey) are not bioequivalence-tested. Off-label use without medical supervision skips required GI side-effect titration.
Two non-natural residues (Aib at positions 2 and 13) plus C20 fatty acid conjugation at K20.
Known risk or pharmacological conflict.
Stack doesn't rank peptides — we surface the diversity of opinion. Each card paraphrases a public-record stance from a named source. Where they conflict is where you should slow down and read both.
15-22% body-weight reduction at 72 weeks — the largest weight-loss effect of any FDA-approved obesity drug. Mechanism is dual GLP-1 + GIP receptor agonism. Cardiovascular outcomes data from SURMOUNT-MMO and SURPASS-CVOT extend the indication.
Source →Front-line obesity-medicine option when insurance allows. Manages GI side effects with slow titration. Argues compounded versions during the 2022-2025 shortage filled a real access gap, but the shutdown was inevitable once shortage resolved.
Frames Tirzepatide as the FDA-approved alternative to off-label Retatrutide — "if you feel more comfortable doing something that's FDA approved, I would go with Tirzepatide over Semaglutide because it works in two mechanisms instead of just one."
Per-claim grading. Each claim is graded independently — same peptide, different claims can carry different grades.
External links to PubMed searches, ClinicalTrials.gov, and FDA materials. We do not host papers — we point at canonical sources.
Pre-filled with this compound's published dose range: 2.5-15 mg · weekly, subcutaneous
Draw volume exceeds 100 units (1 mL). Either reduce dose or split into multiple injections.
Calculator is a discussion tool. Verify reconstitution + dosing with a qualified provider. Stack is not a prescription source. Use sterile technique and inspect every vial.
How much a first cycle actually costs across the channels people use. Pick the protocol length you're considering — Stack multiplies the monthly band by cycle weeks. Same caveats apply: ranges are facts, quality varies, this is not legal advice.
Numbers reflect publicly-advertised price ranges, not vendor quotes. Insurance, prescription costs, and shipping aren't included. Channels marked unavailable are filtered out.
See pharmacies for this compound →Approximate monthly cost across the channels users actually consider — brand FDA-approved retail, US 503A compounding, Mexican pharmacies, MX farmacias magistrales, and the research-grey market. Stack lists ranges, not vendor names. Quality varies wildly across channels — see each band's note.
Dosing assumption: Mid-titration dose (~10 mg weekly) for weight management
Mounjaro (T2D label) and Zepbound (obesity label) — insurance-dependent. Eli Lilly direct-purchase program at lower bound for cash pay.
As of 2026-04Not currently legal in US — FDA declared shortage resolved Feb 2025, ending the compounding exception.
As of 2026-04Mounjaro launched Mexico Jan 2024. Legitimate COFEPRIS-registered pharmacies (Guadalajara, Monterrey, CDMX). Counterfeits common at border.
As of 2026-04Research-grey market range. Quality varies wildly — counterfeit and underdosed product common. Stack does not endorse this channel; range listed for honesty.
As of 2026-04Public-source attribution across the production + distribution chain. Stack does not endorse vendors — this is who is in the chain, not which one is best.
China-based peptide API maker with semaglutide and tirzepatide listed on US FDA Green List. Also certified by China NMPA, EU EDQM, South Korea MFDS.
Swiss-headquartered global peptide API manufacturer with FDA-registered facilities. Supplies APIs to multiple FDA-approved drug brands.
FDA-inspected peptide API manufacturer with US and China facilities. 500+ chemists.
FDA approved (Mounjaro / Zepbound)
FDA officially declared the Tirzepatide shortage resolved in February 2025, ending the federal exception that had allowed 503A and 503B pharmacies to compound the drug. Compounded Tirzepatide is no longer permitted in the US.
COFEPRIS issued formal warnings about counterfeit Ozempic, Wegovy, and Saxenda circulating in Mexican gray markets, particularly in border-state pharmacies catering to US cross-border traffic. Several seizures documented in Tijuana, Juárez, and Reynosa.
Eli Lilly launched Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) in Mexico in early 2024, joining Saxenda (Liraglutide) and Ozempic/Wegovy (Semaglutide). All three require COFEPRIS-issued prescription. Pricing is meaningfully lower than US retail.
COFEPRIS (Mexican federal health regulator) continued to require physician prescription for GLP-1 agonists through 2023-2024 despite high obesity prevalence and pharmacy-tourism demand from US patients. Compounding less restrictive than US 503A regime.
ANMAT (Argentina), INVIMA (Colombia), and ANVISA (Brazil) all regulate GLP-1 agonists as prescription drugs. Brazil is the strictest enforcement jurisdiction in LATAM. Argentina has a more porous regime in practice. Colombia sits in the middle. Cross-border GLP-1 supply between LATAM countries is real but not as developed as US-Mexico flow.
FDA approved Tirzepatide (brand: Zepbound) for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight + comorbidities. Phase 3 SURMOUNT trial showed 15-22% weight loss at 72 weeks, the largest weight-loss effect of any FDA-approved obesity drug.