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Foundayo vs Mounjaro: the daily tablet against the strongest injection
About this page. Written by the GLPInfo editorial team with AI assistance from the official sources listed at the end, and approved by the site owner before publication. It has not been reviewed by a named clinician. Published 27 Aug 2026 · last updated 27 Aug 2026 · next scheduled review 27 Nov 2026.
This page is information, not medical advice. It never tells you which medicine, dose or format is right for you: those decisions sit with you and a qualified prescriber. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.
Foundayo (orforglipron) is a once-daily tablet with no food or water rules; Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a once-weekly injection with the largest average trial weight loss of any licensed option. Both are MHRA-licensed, prescription-only, and available from regulated UK online providers. Here is how they actually differ, with sources.
The essentials, side by side
| Foundayo | Mounjaro | |
|---|---|---|
| Active medicine | Orforglipron, small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist | Tirzepatide, dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Format | Once-daily tablet, any time, with or without food | Once-weekly injection (KwikPen) |
| UK licence | MHRA, 10 August 2026 | MHRA licensed (weight management) |
| Doses | 0.8mg to 17.2mg, six steps, 30 days minimum per step | 2.5mg to 15mg, six steps, 4 weeks minimum per step |
| Key trial result | ATTAIN-1: 12.4% average loss at 72 weeks (completers, highest dose) | SURMOUNT-1: 20.9% average loss at 72 weeks (15mg) |
| Storage | Room temperature | Refrigerated before first use, per the leaflet |
Trial figures come from different trials with different populations and cannot be compared directly; no head-to-head has been published.
What the difference means in practice
The headline trade is convenience against trial-average effect. Mounjaro's SURMOUNT-1 average is the largest on record for a licensed weight-loss medicine, but it is a weekly self-injection that needs fridge storage before first use. Foundayo's trial average is lower, but it is a tablet you can take with breakfast, at midnight, or on a plane, with no fasting window and no sharps. Adherence drives real-world results more than format does, and the right choice depends on your history, preference and budget: that judgement belongs to you and a prescriber, not a comparison site.
What each costs today
| Foundayo | Mounjaro | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest first month, starting dose (0.8mg / 2.5mg) | £49 | £94 |
| Lowest ongoing month, starting dose | £49 | £119 |
| Lowest ongoing month, highest dose (17.2mg / 15mg) | £142 | £139.99 |
| Full comparison | Foundayo prices | Mounjaro prices |
Lowest published price across the providers we list, not whole-of-market. First-order prices carry conditions on each provider page; the ongoing price is the cost of staying on treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more effective, Foundayo or Mounjaro?
No head-to-head trial has compared them. In their separate trials, tirzepatide 15mg averaged about 20.9% body-weight reduction over 72 weeks (SURMOUNT-1), while orforglipron's highest dose averaged 12.4% among completers over 72 weeks (ATTAIN-1). Cross-trial comparisons are unreliable, and effectiveness in practice depends heavily on tolerability and adherence, which is where a daily tablet may suit some people better than a weekly injection.
Is a tablet safer than an injection?
Not inherently. Both carry predominantly gastrointestinal side effects and the same class warnings; the patient information leaflets list the specifics. The practical differences are about routine, storage and needle preference rather than a general safety ranking. Discuss your history with the prescriber.
Which is cheaper?
It changes as providers move prices, which is why the table above renders live. Compare the ongoing monthly price at the dose you would actually stay on, not the first-month offer: understanding true cost.
Sources
- ATTAIN-1 trial, orforglipron for obesity, New England Journal of Medicine (2025)
- SURMOUNT-1 trial, tirzepatide for obesity, New England Journal of Medicine (2022)
- Mounjaro and Foundayo patient information, electronic medicines compendium (emc)
- MHRA, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency