Dulaglutide vs Semaglutide
Written by Aaron CuhaReviewed Sep 2026
The short answer
Two once weekly GLP-1 drugs compared directly in a large final stage trial, rather than across separate trial records.
- Dulaglutide people
- 10,500
- Dulaglutide nulls
- 0
- Semaglutide people
- 42,363
- Semaglutide nulls
- 2
Dose
Approved label amounts
0.75, 1.5, 3 and 4.5 mg
The approved dulaglutide ladder, in mg.
Dose
Approved titration: 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.7 and 2.4 mg
0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.7 and 2.4 mg
The approved semaglutide ladder, in mg.
First-hand reports are counted on each profile and never added together. This page sets two published records side by side. It does not pick a winner.
Column A
DulaglutideDulaglutide (GLP-1 receptor agonist)
A once-a-week shot for type 2 diabetes. In a big study it lowered heart attacks and strokes.
Column B
SemaglutideSemaglutide (GLP-1 receptor agonist)
A once a week shot for type 2 diabetes and weight loss. It is approved, and big studies show it also lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke.
These two were tested against each other in the same trial
One trial gave people each of them. This is not us lining up two separate records.
At the lower doses HbA1c fell 1.5 points on semaglutide against 1.1 on dulaglutide. At the higher doses it fell 1.8 against 1.4. Both gaps were clear. Body weight fell 4.6 kg on semaglutide 0.5 mg against 2.3 kg on dulaglutide 0.75 mg. Safety was similar.
What the trial was
A large final stage trial across 194 sites in 16 countries. Everyone knew which drug they were on. 1,201 adults with type 2 diabetes not well controlled on metformin were split four ways: semaglutide 0.5 mg, dulaglutide 0.75 mg, semaglutide 1.0 mg or dulaglutide 1.5 mg, weekly for 40 weeks. The main measure was the change in HbA1c, a three month blood sugar reading.
What the authors concluded
The authors state that at both low and high doses semaglutide beat dulaglutide for blood sugar control and weight loss, with similar safety.
Where this result is weak
Everyone knew which drug they were on. It was paid for by Novo Nordisk, which makes semaglutide, the drug that won. It ran 40 weeks in people with type 2 diabetes on metformin. So it says nothing about people without diabetes or about longer stretches of time. And it measured HbA1c and weight, not heart attacks or strokes.
Side by side, on the facts we can check
| What we compare | Dulaglutide | Semaglutide |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Metabolic | Metabolic |
| FDA status | FDA-approved (Trulicity) | FDA-approved (Ozempic and Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes; the Wegovy shot, the Wegovy pill approved Dec 2025, and Wegovy HD 7.2 mg approved Mar 2026 for weight management) |
| Half-life | ~5 days | ~7 days |
| Molecular weight | ~59,700 Da | 4,113.6 Da |
| How it works | It copies GLP-1, a gut hormone. It helps your body release insulin when blood sugar is high. It turns down glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar. It slows how fast food leaves your stomach. | It switches on the GLP-1 receptor, a switch on cells that normally answers a gut hormone after you eat. That makes the body release insulin when blood sugar is high. It holds back glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar. It slows how fast the stomach empties. It also acts on the part of the brain that runs hunger, so people eat less. |
| Studies in people | 2 | 15 |
| Evidence | Strong: 2 completed trials, 10,500 people given it | Strong: 12 completed trials, 42,363 people given it |
| Legal status, US | FDA-approved, prescription only | FDA-approved, prescription only |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Dulaglutide and Semaglutide?
Dulaglutide: A once-a-week shot for type 2 diabetes. In a big study it lowered heart attacks and strokes. Semaglutide: A once a week shot for type 2 diabetes and weight loss. It is approved, and big studies show it also lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Which has stronger research evidence, Dulaglutide or Semaglutide?
Each compound gets a band worked out from facts we counted, with the math shown. Dulaglutide is Strong (2 completed trials, 10,500 people given it). Semaglutide is Strong (12 completed trials, 42,363 people given it). That counts how much has been done in people. It does not rate whether either one works, and neither one is called the winner.
Are Dulaglutide and Semaglutide FDA-approved?
Dulaglutide: FDA-approved (Trulicity). Semaglutide: FDA-approved (Ozempic and Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes; the Wegovy shot, the Wegovy pill approved Dec 2025, and Wegovy HD 7.2 mg approved Mar 2026 for weight management).
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Reviewed Sep 2026. This page puts two published records side by side. It is for learning, and it is not medical advice. When this site shows a dose, it is the dose a trial or a clinic actually used, or what people say they did, with the source attached. None of it tells you what to take.