What's The Difference Between Compounded Tirzepatide and Zepbound™?

If you’ve been considering tirzepatide for weight loss, it’s likely you’ve seen options for branded (Zepbound™ and Monjauro®) and compounded tirzepatide. But what does it mean when a medication is compounded? 

Essentially, it’s the generic form of its branded counterpart and made in a licensed compounded pharmacy. But why are they used? If a patient needs a dosage or formula that is not available by regular prescription, then a compounded product may be prescribed. In many cases, the FDA allows pharmacies to compound medications to address medication shortages, and that has been the case with GLP-1 medications like tirzepatide (the active ingredient in medications like Mounjaro™ and Zepbound™). 

So, what are the differences between compounded tirzepatide and brand names like Zepbound™? Below, we will discuss what tirzepatide is, how it helps you lose weight, and how branded and compounded tirzpeatide compare. 

What is Tirzepatide?

Tirzepatide is a medication that was developed initially for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. More recently, it has also been shown to be highly effective for weight loss. Zepbound™,the branded version, was recently approved by the FDA as a weight loss treatment. These medications work by activating two types of receptors in the body: Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor, and Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor. 

Targeting these receptors, tirzepatide helps to control blood sugar, reduce appetite, and slow the speed of food passing from the stomach into the intestines (keeping people feeling full for longer). These medications are typically taken by injection under the skin on a weekly basis. Side effects can include things like nausea, vomiting and decreased appetite.

Similarities between compounded tirzepatide and Zepbound™

• Both require a prescription: any form of tirzepatide requires a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional. This includes the brand name, generic, and compounded formats of the medication. If a company is offering these medications without a prescription, it is likely to be a counterfeit product or a form of the medication that is not approved by the FDA to be used by humans (such as “research-grade” tirzepatide).

• Both contain the same active ingredient: the active ingredient in the generic, brand name, and compounded medications should be tirzepatide. When a pharmacy compounds a medication, they should be getting the tirzepatide from an FDA-registered supplier to ensure that the tirzepatide is active and authentic. 

Only pharmacies with a special accreditation can compound injectable medications, and you can check with the The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), Board of Pharmacy Specialists (BPS), or Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB) to be sure your pharmacy is accredited to do so. 

The differences between compounded tirzepatide and Zepbound™ 

• Inactive ingredients: While brand name medications are required to list all their active and inactive ingredients on their labels, compounding pharmacies may or may not list ingredients. Compounding pharmacies usually follow a recipe to make injectable medications, and that recipe can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. You can ask your pharmacy for the list of ingredients in your medication.

• Storage requirements: Brand name medications come with specific storage requirements that are standardized by the manufacturer. Compounded tirzepatide may have different storage recommendations, depending on the way the product is made by each pharmacy. Be sure to ask your pharmacist how to store the medication safely.

• Packaging and delivery method: Many brand-name injectable GLP-1s come as a single-use disposable pen. Compounded tirzepatide usually comes in a vial and will be injected using disposable syringes, which can be more tricky for some people to measure out and use.

• FDA approval: While brand name medications have to be specifically approved by the FDA for certain uses, compounded medications do not. This is why it is important to make sure the pharmacy filling your prescription is accredited and state-licensed to compound medications using FDA-registered suppliers of pharmaceutical-grade (not research-grade) ingredients. 

Risks of compounded medications

The main risks associated with using compounded medications are:

• Dosing can vary: As you can imagine, the dose or concentration of medication matters a lot. This is why it is important to always use a licensed compounding pharmacy that is specialized in making injectable drugs to minimize the chances of a dosage being too low or too high.

• Counterfeit drugs: Unfortunately, counterfeit (fake) GLP-1s have been found circulating amongst patients all over the country. These products are falsely marketed as being authentic, but could contain incorrect doses, be contaminated with bacteria or fungi, contain research-grade medications, contain harmful substances, or even just contain no active ingredients at all. Be wary of any companies selling GLP-1s without prescriptions or without having accredited pharmacies involved. 

• Effectiveness can vary: The effectiveness of a compounded medication can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy and even between vials from the same pharmacy due to different ingredients and conditions. A quality, licensed, and reputable compounding pharmacy will perform regular quality control testing to ensure consistent ingredient dosing, efficacy and safety. 

At Agile Telehealth, our licensed pharmacy partners perform routine quality control testing to make sure our patients are getting the highest quality GLP-1 medications.

Benefits of compounded medications

While brand-name medications are often the safer alternative, they are not always available or accessible to everyone. The main benefits of using a legitimate and high-quality compounded medication are:

• Lower Cost: Compounded medications are often less expensive than brand name medications. This offers expanded access to the weight loss treatment for those who can’t afford the branded versions or can’t get them covered by insurance.

• Customizable: Compounded medications can be customized to almost any dosage and concentration that the pharmacy deems appropriate and safe. Unlike its branded counterpart that comes standardized. This can offer flexibility and allow your provider to prescribe a more accurate dosage based on your unique health data.

• Availability: Even when branded medications are unavailable or in short supply, compounded alternatives are often available. In combination with the lower cost, this again increases patient access to this very effective weight loss treatment.

Compounded tirzepatide can be an effective alternative to Zepbound

Compounded tirzepatide can be a safe and effective option for those wanting to try medical weight loss medications but unable to access them due to cost or availability. Keep in mind that compounded medications are not without risk, so doing your research to ensure your medication is coming from a safe and regulated source is important. 

At Agile, we make patient safety our priority by only partnering with licensed pharmacies that perform routine quality control testing and ensure all GLP-1 medications are pharmacy-grade and in their base form. 

To take it a step further, we require an initial metabolic panel to be performed in order to have your most up-to-date health data. Why do we do this? So our providers can identify any potential risks and prescribe the ideal dosage for the best results. And don’t worry, these labs are included in our monthly subscription price. No hidden fees or costs here!

Ready to learn more? See if you qualify and schedule an initial, no-cost video consultation with a board-certified provider.