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Mounjaro ® (tirzepatide) injection
2.5 mg/5 mg/7.5 mg/10 mg/12.5 mg/15 mg
This information is provided in response to your request. Resources may contain information about doses, uses, formulations and populations different from product labeling. See Prescribing Information above, if applicable.
Can Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) cause pancreatitis in people with type 2 diabetes?
In clinical studies, 14 events of acute pancreatitis were confirmed by adjudication in 13 tirzepatide-treated patients (0.23 patients per 100 years of exposure) versus 3 events in 3 comparator-treated patients (0.11 patients per 100 years of exposure).
See important safety information, including boxed warning, in the attached prescribing information.
Prescribing Information Related to Acute Pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis, including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis, has been observed in patients treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists or tirzepatide.1
After initiation of tirzepatide, observe patients carefully for signs and symptoms of pancreatitis (including persistent severe abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back and which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting).1
If pancreatitis is suspected,
- discontinue tirzepatide, and
- initiate appropriate management.1
Exclusion Criteria in Tirzepatide Phase 3 Type 2 Diabetes Studies
Tirzepatide has not been studied in people with a prior history of chronic or acute pancreatitis as these participants were excluded from the tirzepatide phase 3 type 2 diabetes studies.2-9
Acute Pancreatitis From Tirzepatide Type 2 Diabetes Studies
In tirzepatide clinical studies in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D), 14 events of acute pancreatitis were confirmed by adjudication in 13 tirzepatide-treated patients (0.23 patients per 100 years of exposure) versus 3 events in 3 comparator-treated patients (0.11 patients per 100 years of exposure).1
Pancreatitis From Tirzepatide Postmarketing Data
Acute pancreatitis, including hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis sometimes resulting in death have been reported during post-approval use of tirzepatide.1
Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to
- reliably estimate their frequency, or
- establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.1
Enclosed Prescribing Information
References
The published references below are available by contacting 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979).
1Mounjaro [package insert]. Indianapolis, IN: Eli Lilly and Company; 2025.
2Rosenstock J, Wysham C, Frías JP, et al. Efficacy and safety of a novel dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist tirzepatide in patients with type 2 diabetes (SURPASS-1): a double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2021;398(10295):143-155. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736%2821%2901324-6
3Frías JP, Davies MJ, Rosenstock J, et al; SURPASS-2 Investigators. Tirzepatide versus semaglutide once weekly in patients with type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2021;385(6):503-515. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2107519
4Ludvik B, Giorgino F, Jódar E, et al. Once-weekly tirzepatide versus once-daily insulin degludec as add-on to metformin with or without SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes (SURPASS-3): a randomised, open-label, parallel-group, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2021;398(10300):583-598. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01443-4
5Del Prato S, Kahn SE, Pavo I, et al; SURPASS-4 Investigators. Tirzepatide versus insulin glargine in type 2 diabetes and increased cardiovascular risk (SURPASS-4): a randomised, open-label, parallel-group, multicentre, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2021;398(10313):1811-1824. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02188-7
6Dahl D, Onishi Y, Norwood P, et al. Effect of subcutaneous tirzepatide vs placebo added to titrated insulin glargine on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: the SURPASS-5 randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2022;327(6):534-545. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.0078
7Rosenstock J, Frías JP, Rodbard HW, et al. Tirzepatide vs insulin lispro added to basal insulin in type 2 diabetes: the SURPASS-6 randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2023;330(17):1631-1640. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.20294
8Inagaki N, Takeuchi M, Oura T, et al. Efficacy and safety of tirzepatide monotherapy compared with dulaglutide in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes (SURPASS J-mono): a double-blind, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2022;10(9):623-633. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00188-7
9Gao L, Lee BW, Chawla M, et al. Tirzepatide versus insulin glargine as second-line or third-line therapy in type 2 diabetes in the Asia-Pacific region: the SURPASS-AP-Combo trial. Nat Med. 2023;29(6):1500-1510. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02344-1
Date of Last Review: June 03, 2025