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
Jardiance
Trulicity vs. Jardiance Dosage
Trulicity
Jardiance
| 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 |
| 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
| 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
| 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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