Comparison
Tirzepatide vs survodutide
Two dual agonists that picked different second receptors, GIP in one case and glucagon in the other, and that sit at very different stages of evidence.
Both act on GLP-1 plus one more receptor, and which one they add is the entire difference. Tirzepatide adds GIP. Survodutide adds glucagon.
Glucagon is the route with less precedent among approved drugs, and it is the same one retatrutide adds on top of tirzepatide's pair. What glucagon agonism does over years is the open question behind both of them.
They are also not at the same stage. Tirzepatide has completed phase 3 and holds approvals; survodutide is further back.
| Attribute | Tirzepatide | Survodutide |
|---|---|---|
| Receptor targets | GLP-1, GIP | GLP-1, glucagon |
| Evidence level | Approved | Clinical |
| Dosing frequency | Once weekly | Once weekly |
| Reported weight reduction | Around 21% at the highest dose | Around 19% in phase 2 |
| Availability | Approved and prescribed | Not approved |
Things worth knowing
- A phase 2 figure and a phase 3 figure are different kinds of number, and effect sizes commonly shrink between them.
- Glucagon agonism raises energy expenditure as well as suppressing appetite. That is the argument for it. It is also the arm with the least long-term human data behind it anywhere in this class.
Full profile
Tirzepatide
A once-weekly dual agonist that activates both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors, approved for type 2 diabetes and for weight management.
Full profile
Survodutide
A GLP-1 and glucagon dual agonist in phase 3, and one of the more advanced candidates for fatty liver disease rather than weight alone.
Related
This page is educational. It describes what published research reports, not what you should do. Peptides discussed here are largely not approved for human use, and nothing on Bioalmanac is medical advice.