What Is Mazdutide? The GLP-1/Glucagon Drug from Lilly and Innovent

Mazdutide is a weekly weight-loss injection that’s notable for a milestone: it’s the world’s first approved drug to combine GLP-1 and glucagon activity in one molecule. It was developed by Innovent (licensed from Eli Lilly) and was approved in China in June 2025 for weight management. It is not FDA approved, so it isn’t available in the United States or through TrimRx. In its Chinese phase 3 trials, higher doses produced roughly 15% to 20% average weight loss. Here’s how it works and what its approval means.

Two Hormones, One Drug

Mazdutide activates two receptors: GLP-1 and glucagon. It’s based on oxyntomodulin, a naturally occurring gut hormone that hits both targets. The two components complement each other. GLP-1 suppresses appetite and lowers blood sugar, the familiar mechanism. Glucagon adds increased energy expenditure (burning more calories) and improved fat metabolism in the liver. Combining them aims to produce more weight loss than a GLP-1 alone, while also delivering broader metabolic benefits.

This makes mazdutide part of a wave of “dual agonist” drugs, though it’s distinct from tirzepatide (which combines GLP-1 with GIP, a different second hormone). Mazdutide’s glucagon component is what sets it apart.

What the Trials Showed

Mazdutide’s approval rested on a series of Chinese phase 3 trials called GLORY. The GLORY-1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025, studied mazdutide in Chinese adults with overweight or obesity and found that the 6 mg dose produced about 14.8% weight loss and the 4 mg dose about 12% at 48 weeks, versus roughly 0.5% with placebo. A later trial (GLORY-2) tested a higher 9 mg dose and reported up to about 20% weight loss. The drug also improved multiple cardiometabolic markers and reduced visceral fat.

The China Approval

In June 2025, China’s regulator approved mazdutide for chronic weight management, and in September 2025 it was also approved for blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes. That makes it the first GLP-1/glucagon dual agonist approved anywhere in the world. Consider a hypothetical patient in China with obesity and fatty liver: mazdutide’s glucagon-driven effects on liver fat and energy expenditure could be particularly relevant for them, which is part of why the drug generated so much interest there.

It’s important to be precise about what this approval means, though. It’s a Chinese approval only. Mazdutide has not been approved by the FDA, and there’s no guarantee or timeline for US availability.

What This Means for You Right Now

For US patients, mazdutide is not available, and TrimRx does not offer it. TrimRx provides medications you can access today, including compounded semaglutide and compounded tirzepatide plus brand options like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. If you’re looking to lose weight now, those available options are the practical place to focus.

Mazdutide is a genuine milestone as the first approved drug of its kind, but its approval is specific to China, not the US.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is mazdutide available in the United States?

No. Mazdutide is approved in China but is not FDA approved and is not available in the US. TrimRx does not offer it. Any US availability would require separate FDA approval, which has not happened.

How does mazdutide compare to tirzepatide?

Both are dual-hormone drugs, but they pair GLP-1 with different second hormones. Mazdutide adds glucagon (which increases energy expenditure and reduces liver fat), while tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) adds GIP. In Chinese trials, mazdutide produced roughly 15% to 20% weight loss depending on the dose.

Is mazdutide FDA approved?

No. Mazdutide is approved in China for weight management and diabetes but has not been approved by the FDA. It is not available in the US or through TrimRx.

To focus on medications you can actually start with here, you can explore the options available to you now with a licensed provider.

This information is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Mazdutide is approved in China but is not FDA approved and is not available in the US; details may change. Consult a healthcare provider before starting any medication. Individual results may vary.