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What is semaglutide? Brands, forms and approved uses

Updated Sep 27, 2026. Numbers in brackets link to the source each fact comes from.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus, all made by Novo Nordisk. It copies a gut hormone called GLP-1, which helps control appetite and blood sugar. Which brand you get decides what it is approved to treat, how it is taken and what it costs.

How it works

The Wegovy label describes semaglutide as a lab-made version of GLP-1 that shares 94% of its sequence with the human hormone [1]. It switches on the same GLP-1 receptor. GLP-1 helps regulate appetite and how much people eat, and its receptor is found in parts of the brain that control appetite [2].

One ingredient, several brands

Brand and form Approved for How it is taken
Wegovy injection Weight loss in adults, and in children 12 and older with obesity [3] [4]; lowering heart attack and stroke risk in adults with heart disease and excess weight [5]; a liver disease called MASH with fibrosis [6] Once a week [11]
Wegovy tablets Weight loss in adults [7] Once a day [13]
Ozempic injection Blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes [8], plus heart and kidney risk reduction in that group [9] Once a week [18]
Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus Type 2 diabetes; the two share one label [10] Once a day [30]

Ozempic and Rybelsus are diabetes medicines. They are not approved for weight loss, even though they contain the same molecule as Wegovy. Novo Nordisk says it is the only maker of FDA-approved semaglutide medicines [27].

How it is taken

The Wegovy shot goes under the skin of the belly, thigh or upper arm on the same day each week, with or without food [11] [12]. The dose starts low and climbs. For adult weight loss, the usual maintenance dose is 2.4 mg a week, with 1.7 mg as the alternative [15]. People who tolerate 2.4 mg for at least 4 weeks and need more weight loss may move up to 7.2 mg, sold as Wegovy HD [16].

The Wegovy pill is taken every morning on an empty stomach with no more than 4 ounces of water [13]. You then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other pills [14]. The maintenance dose is 25 mg a day [17]. Besides semaglutide, the tablets contain an added ingredient called SNAC (salcaprozate sodium) [20].

Ozempic injection doses for diabetes are 0.5 mg, 1 mg or 2 mg a week [18]. Ozempic tablets come in 1.5 mg, 4 mg and 9 mg [19]. For every step of every schedule, see GLP-1 dosing compared.

How much weight people lost in the label trial

In the Wegovy label’s main weight study, a 68-week trial of 1,961 adults with obesity or overweight and no diabetes [24], average body weight fell 14.9% on Wegovy 2.4 mg against 2.4% on placebo [25]. More trial results are on GLP-1 weight loss results.

Safety points on every label

  • A boxed warning: semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents [21]. It is not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2 [22].
  • Do not combine it with another semaglutide product or another GLP-1 medicine [23].
  • It needs a prescription. The FDA drug database lists Wegovy’s marketing status as prescription [26].

Side effects for each medicine are compared on GLP-1 side effects.

Compounded “semaglutide” is not the same thing

Compounded drugs are not FDA approved, and the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are sold [28]. Some products sold online use salt forms such as semaglutide sodium or acetate, which the FDA says are different active ingredients from the approved drugs [29]. More on spotting these: fake and unapproved GLP-1 products.

Whether semaglutide suits you, which form and at what dose is a decision for you and your prescriber. Prices for each brand are on the Wegovy and Ozempic pages.

Sources

  1. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 analogue with 94% sequence homology to human GLP-1. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  2. GLP-1 is a physiological regulator of appetite and caloric intake, and the GLP-1 receptor is present in several areas of the brain involved in appetite regulation. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  3. adults and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with obesity. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  4. adults with overweight in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  5. to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular (CV) events (CV death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) in adults with established CV disease and either obesity or overweight. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  6. for the treatment of noncirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (consistent with stages F2 to F3 fibrosis) in adults. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  7. to reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adults with obesity, or in adults with overweight in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  8. as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  9. to reduce the risk of sustained eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease, and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  10. RYBELSUS and OZEMPIC tablets are indicated: • as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  11. Administer WEGOVY injection once weekly as an adjunct to diet and increased physical activity, on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without meals. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  12. Inject subcutaneously in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  13. Take WEGOVY tablets orally once-daily on an empty stomach in the morning with water (up to 4 ounces). dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  14. After taking WEGOVY tablet wait at least 30 minutes before eating food, drinking beverages or taking other oral medications. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  15. The maintenance dosage of WEGOVY for weight reduction in adults is either 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg (recommended) injected subcutaneously once weekly. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  16. For patients who tolerate the 2.4 mg dosage for at least 4 weeks and additional weight reduction is clinically indicated, the dosage may be increased to a maximum dosage of 7.2 mg subcutaneously once weekly. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  17. The recommended maintenance dosage of WEGOVY tablets is 25 mg orally once daily. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  18. The recommended maintenance dosage is 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg, injected subcutaneously once weekly, based on glycemic control. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  19. OZEMPIC tablets: 1.5 mg, 4 mg and 9 mg (3) dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  20. Each tablet of WEGOVY contains 1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg or 25 mg of semaglutide and the following inactive ingredients: magnesium stearate and salcaprozate sodium (SNAC). dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  21. In rodents, semaglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  22. a personal or family history of MTC or in patients with MEN 2 dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  23. Concomitant use of WEGOVY (semaglutide) tablets or WEGOVY (semaglutide) injection with other semaglutide-containing products or with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  24. Study 2 was a 68-week trial that enrolled 1,961 patients with obesity (BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2) or with overweight (BMI 27 to 29.9 kg/m2) and at least one weight-related comorbid condition dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  25. % change from baseline (LSMean) -2.4 -14.9 -3.4 -9.6 -5.7 -16 dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  26. WEGOVY SEMAGLUTIDE 2.4MG/0.75ML (2.4MG/0.75ML) SOLUTION;SUBCUTANEOUS Prescription accessdata.fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  27. Novo Nordisk is the only manufacturer of FDA-approved semaglutide medicines, including Ozempic ozempic.com, read Sep 27, 2026.
  28. However, compounded drugs are not FDA approved. This means the agency does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed. fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  29. These salt forms, including semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate, are different active ingredients than are used in the approved drugs. fda.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  30. The recommended starting dosage is 1.5 mg orally once daily (this dosage is not effective for glycemic control). dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.

This page reports what official sources say; it is not medical advice. Medical disclaimer.