GLP-1 Titration Timeline
The published STEP (semaglutide) and SURMOUNT (tirzepatide) titration schedules, rendered week by week. This is a display of the trial protocols, not a dosing recommendation.
This displays the published trial titration schedule. It is not a dosing recommendation.
Adjust if your program starts mid-year or you want to renumber.
Semaglutide — STEP trial schedule
Source: Novo Nordisk Ozempic/Wegovy prescribing information (STEP 1–4 trials)
- Week 1 (start)
0.25 mg
0.25 mg weekly
- Week 54 weeks at previous dose
0.5 mg
0.5 mg weekly
- Week 98 weeks at previous dose
1.0 mg
1.0 mg weekly
- Week 1312 weeks at previous dose
1.7 mg
1.7 mg weekly
- Week 1716 weeks at previous dose
2.4 mg
2.4 mg weekly (maintenance)
Schedule summary
| Week | Dose | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.25 mg | Starting dose |
| 5 | 0.5 mg | Escalation |
| 9 | 1.0 mg | Escalation |
| 13 | 1.7 mg | Escalation |
| 17 | 2.4 mg | Maintenance dose |
This is the published trial titration schedule, not a dosing recommendation. Individual treatment decisions are made by a healthcare professional. The STEP and SURMOUNT trial protocols are the property of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly respectively and are reproduced here for educational reference only.
Common questions
What is a titration schedule?
A titration schedule is a step-by-step dose escalation plan that starts at a low dose and increases over several weeks to a target maintenance dose. The idea is to let the body adjust gradually, which reduces the likelihood and severity of side effects. The STEP and SURMOUNT trial schedules shown here are the ones published in the clinical trials.
Are these the same doses a doctor would prescribe?
These are the published clinical-trial protocols. A prescribing healthcare professional may follow them, adjust them, or use a different schedule entirely based on individual factors. This timeline is educational — it shows what the trials published, not what any specific person should do.
Why does semaglutide have 5 steps and tirzepatide has 6?
Because that is how the respective trials were designed. The STEP trials (Novo Nordisk) escalated semaglutide in 4-week increments to a 2.4 mg maintenance dose. The SURMOUNT trials (Eli Lilly) escalated tirzepatide in 4-week increments to a 15 mg maintenance dose, with one additional step. Both are reflections of the trial design, not a recommendation about speed.
Can I skip ahead to the maintenance dose?
That is a medical question for a healthcare professional, not a calculator question. The published trials did not skip steps — they escalated gradually for safety reasons. This tool simply displays the published schedule.