Trulicity vs. Jardiance

See how Trulicity and Jardiance compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.

Key Takeaways

  • Trulicity is a once-weekly injection that also lowers cardiovascular risk, while Jardiance is a once-daily pill also approved for heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

  • Trulicity's most common side effects are gastrointestinal, while Jardiance's are urinary and genital infections plus a higher hypoglycemia risk when paired with insulin or sulfonylureas.

  • Jardiance typically costs less per month out of pocket than Trulicity, which has no generic version available.

Trulicity vs. Jardiance Drug Summary

Trulicity

Trulicity (dulaglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used to control blood sugar in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It's injected once a week using a prefilled pen and can also lower cardiovascular risk in people with heart disease or multiple risk factors.

Jardiance

Jardiance (empagliflozin) is an SGLT2 inhibitor used to control blood sugar in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It's taken as a once-daily pill and also carries FDA approvals for heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

Trulicity vs. Jardiance Side Effects

Trulicity

Most common
Nausea (up to 21.1%)
Diarrhea (up to 13%)
Vomiting (up to 13%)
Abdominal pain (up to 13%)

Jardiance

Most common
Hypoglycemia (up to 41.3% with insulin/sulfonylurea)
Urinary tract infection (up to 9.3%)
Female genital mycotic infection (up to 5.4%)
Increased urination (1% to 10%)

Trulicity vs. Jardiance Dosage

Trulicity

Dosage
Dosage Table
STAGE DOSE WHEN
Starting dose 0.75 mg once weekly Weeks 1-4
Maximum dose 4.5 mg once weekly If needed
Dose changes 3 increases Every 4 weeks

Jardiance

Dosage
Dosage Table
STAGE DOSE WHEN
Starting dose 10 mg once daily At the start
Maximum dose 25 mg once daily If needed
Dose changes 1 increase As tolerated

Trulicity vs. Jardiance Indications

Trulicity

Trulicity is FDA-approved to control blood sugar in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It's also approved to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and existing heart disease or multiple risk factors. It's sometimes used off-label for weight loss in people who don't have diabetes.

  • Type 2 diabetes blood sugar control (adults and children 10+)

  • Reduces risk of major cardiovascular events in high-risk adults

  • Off-label: weight loss in people without diabetes

  • Not approved for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis

Jardiance

Jardiance is FDA-approved to control blood sugar in adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes. It also carries approvals to reduce cardiovascular death in people with heart disease, to reduce death and hospitalization in heart failure, and to slow chronic kidney disease progression.

  • Type 2 diabetes blood sugar control (adults and children 10+)

  • Reduces cardiovascular death risk in adults with heart disease

  • Reduces death and hospitalization risk in heart failure

  • Slows progression of chronic kidney disease

Trulicity vs. Jardiance Pros and Cons

Trulicity

Trulicity is a weekly injectable GLP-1 medication with strong evidence for both blood sugar control and cardiovascular risk reduction. It has no generic version, which keeps its list price higher than many oral diabetes drugs.

Pros

  • Only needs to be taken once a week

  • Approved for pediatric type 2 diabetes starting at age 10

  • Often supports meaningful weight loss alongside blood sugar control

  • No daily pill to remember

Cons

  • Requires a weekly injection, which some patients avoid

  • Carries a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumor risk

  • Roughly $987 to $1,065 per month without insurance, before savings programs

  • Carries a risk of acute pancreatitis

Jardiance

Jardiance is a once-daily pill from a different drug class, SGLT2 inhibitors, with added approvals for heart failure and chronic kidney disease. It costs less out of pocket than Trulicity but carries distinct genitourinary and metabolic risks.

Pros

  • Taken as a pill, no injections needed

  • Approved for heart failure regardless of ejection fraction

  • Approved to slow chronic kidney disease progression

  • Roughly $350 to $620 per month without insurance, before savings programs

Cons

  • Higher risk of genital yeast infections and urinary tract infections

  • Risk of diabetic ketoacidosis even without high blood sugar

  • Risk of serious genital infections including Fournier's gangrene

  • Higher hypoglycemia risk when combined with insulin or sulfonylureas

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