Is Wegovy the same as Ozempic?
What is the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?
Yes, the same drug with different labels. Both are semaglutide from Novo Nordisk. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes, with a maximum dose of 2 mg a week. Wegovy is approved for long-term weight management. Its usual maintenance dose is 2.4 mg a week, and the label allows up to 7.2 mg for some adults with obesity. Both also come as a daily tablet. They are not interchangeable. Each has its own label, doses, and approved uses.[1][2][4]
Wegovy vs Ozempic at a glance
Prices checked October 3, 2026.
| Attribute | HIGHLIGHTED Ozempicsemaglutide | Wegovy semaglutide |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | semaglutide | semaglutide |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Novo Nordisk |
| Drug class | GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| FDA approved | December 2017 | June 2021 |
| Indication | Type 2 diabetes (adults). Also lowers heart and kidney risks in type 2 diabetes with heart or kidney disease[1] | Chronic weight management (BMI ≥ 30, or ≥ 27 with comorbidity; ages 12+ with obesity). Also lowers heart risk in adults with heart disease, and treats MASH[2] |
| Dose schedule | Subcutaneous injection · Once weekly[1] | Subcutaneous injection · Once weekly[2] |
| Available doses | 0.25 mg · 0.5 mg · 1 mg · 2 mg[1] | 0.25 mg · 0.5 mg · 1 mg · 1.7 mg · 2.4 mg · 7.2 mg[2] |
| Mechanism | Semaglutide is a GLP-1 analog with 94% homology to native human GLP-1. It binds the GLP-1 receptor, augmenting glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppressing glucagon, slowing gastric emptying, and reducing appetite via central nervous system pathways. | Wegovy is the same molecule as Ozempic, semaglutide, titrated to a higher 2.4 mg maintenance dose. It binds the GLP-1 receptor, augmenting glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppressing glucagon, slowing gastric emptying, and reducing appetite via central nervous system pathways. |
| Common side effects | Nausea (15.8 to 20.3%), diarrhea (8.5 to 8.8%), vomiting (5 to 9.2%) at 0.5 mg and 1 mg. Most reports came during dose escalation[1] | Nausea (44%), diarrhea (30%), and vomiting (24%) are more frequent than at Ozempic doses[2] |
| Cost range | List price $1,027.51 a month. Self-pay pen $349 to $499 through Novo Nordisk. As little as $25 with commercial insurance and the savings card[5][7] | List price $1,349.02 a month. Self-pay pen $349 to $399 through Novo Nordisk. As little as $25 with commercial insurance and the savings card[6][8] |
This comparison is for education only and is not medical advice. Ozempic and Wegovy are prescription medicines with distinct FDA-approved indications. Whether either is appropriate for you, and at what dose, is a decision for a licensed clinician.
Why are there two brands of semaglutide?
Each brand carries its own FDA approval. Ozempic is approved for blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It also lowers heart and kidney risks in adults with type 2 diabetes who have heart disease or chronic kidney disease. Wegovy is approved for weight management in adults and children 12 and older with obesity. It also lowers heart attack and stroke risk in adults with heart disease and excess weight, and treats the liver disease MASH. Insurers cover each brand by its label.[1][2]
Which works better for weight loss, Ozempic or Wegovy?
Wegovy is the one approved for it. In STEP-1, adults with overweight or obesity on semaglutide 2.4 mg lost 14.9% of their body weight at 68 weeks, versus 2.4% on placebo. In adults who also had type 2 diabetes, the Wegovy label reports 9.6%, versus 3.4% on placebo. Ozempic's highest dose is 2 mg, and it is not approved for weight loss. Its label still reports weight change. Adults with type 2 diabetes lost 5.6 kg on 1 mg and 6.4 kg on 2 mg over 40 weeks. These trials enrolled different people, so the numbers are not a head-to-head result.[3][2][1]
Which helps you lose weight faster, Wegovy or Ozempic?
Neither label promises a speed. Both pens start at 0.25 mg a week and step up in stages of at least four weeks. Wegovy's schedule reaches its maintenance dose at week 17. STEP-1 measured weight at 68 weeks, when the average loss on semaglutide 2.4 mg was 15.3 kg, about 34 pounds. The Wegovy weight loss calculator and the Ozempic weight loss calculator chart average loss week by week from trial data.[1][2][3]
What is the downside to Wegovy compared with Ozempic?
Mostly more stomach side effects, at a higher dose. In Wegovy's trials at 2.4 mg, 44% of adults reported nausea, 30% diarrhea, and 24% vomiting. In Ozempic's trials at 0.5 mg and 1 mg, nausea ran 15.8% to 20.3%, diarrhea 8.5% to 8.8%, and vomiting 5% to 9.2%. Both labels carry the same boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents. The full list is in Wegovy side effects.[2][1]
| Side effect | Ozempic 0.5 mg | Ozempic 1 mg | Wegovy 2.4 mg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 15.8% | 20.3% | 44% |
| Diarrhea | 8.5% | 8.8% | 30% |
| Vomiting | 5% | 9.2% | 24% |
| Constipation | 5% | 3.1% | 24% |
| Abdominal pain | 7.3% | 5.7% | 20% |
Why are people stopping Wegovy?
In Wegovy's trials, 6.8% of adults on the 2.4 mg dose stopped for good because of side effects, versus 3.2% on placebo. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were the most common reasons. In Ozempic's trials, 3.1% to 3.8% stopped because of stomach side effects, versus 0.4% on placebo. The labels do not track people who stop over price or coverage.[2][1]
Why is Wegovy more expensive than Ozempic?
Its list price is higher. Novo Nordisk lists Wegovy at $1,349.02 a month and Ozempic at $1,027.51. Novo says most people with insurance do not pay list price. Its own self-pay price is $349 a month for either pen at most doses. With commercial insurance, each brand's savings card can bring a covered prescription to as little as $25 a month. Under the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, eligible Part D members pay $50 a month for Wegovy from July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027.[5][6][7][8]
Prices checked October 3, 2026.
| Monthly price | Ozempic | Wegovy |
|---|---|---|
| List price | $1,027.51 | $1,349.02 |
| Novo self-pay, pen | $349 for 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, or 1 mg. $499 for 2 mg | $349 for 0.25 mg through 2.4 mg. $399 for 7.2 mg |
| Novo self-pay, new patients | $199 for the first two fills of 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg, through December 31, 2026 | $199 for the first two fills of 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg, through December 31, 2026 |
| Novo self-pay, tablets | $149 for 1.5 mg. $199 for 4 mg. $299 for 9 mg | $149 for 1.5 mg. $199 for 4 mg. $299 for 9 mg or 25 mg |
| Commercial insurance with savings card | As little as $25 | As little as $25 |
How do the Ozempic and Wegovy doses compare?
Both pens start at 0.25 mg once a week. Ozempic's label lists maintenance doses of 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg, with 2 mg as the maximum. Wegovy's label steps through 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 1.7 mg to a 2.4 mg maintenance dose, with 7.2 mg as the maximum for some adults. These are the label schedules, not a guide to what any one person should take. Wegovy dosage has the full chart.[1][2]
| Stage | Ozempic pen | Wegovy pen |
|---|---|---|
| Starting dose | 0.25 mg for 4 weeks | 0.25 mg for 4 weeks |
| Step-up doses | 0.5 mg after 4 weeks. 1 mg and 2 mg only if more blood sugar control is needed | 0.5 mg, 1 mg, then 1.7 mg, 4 weeks each |
| Maintenance dose | 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg | 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg |
| Maximum dose | 2 mg | 7.2 mg |
| How often | Once a week | Once a week |
Can you switch from Ozempic to Wegovy?
That is a prescriber's decision. Ozempic and Wegovy are separate products, each with its own label and approved uses. The doses do not line up either. Ozempic pens stop at 2 mg, and Wegovy has 1.7 mg, 2.4 mg, and 7.2 mg doses that Ozempic lacks. Neither label gives a conversion between the two.[1][2]
Can you take Ozempic and Wegovy together?
No. The Wegovy label says it is not recommended with other semaglutide products or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist. Ozempic is semaglutide, so taking both would double the same drug.[2]
Is there a pill version of Ozempic or Wegovy?
Yes, both. Wegovy tablets are taken once a day, starting at 1.5 mg and building to a 25 mg maintenance dose. They are approved for weight reduction and for lowering heart risk in adults, not for MASH and not for children. Ozempic tablets come in 1.5 mg, 4 mg, and 9 mg and are approved for adults with type 2 diabetes. They share a label with Rybelsus, Novo Nordisk's other semaglutide tablet.[2][4]
Is Wegovy the same as Mounjaro or Zepbound?
No. Mounjaro and Zepbound are tirzepatide, made by Eli Lilly. Tirzepatide acts on two receptors, GIP and GLP-1. Semaglutide acts on GLP-1 alone. The brand split mirrors Novo's. Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for weight management. Compare Wegovy vs Zepbound, Ozempic vs Mounjaro, or semaglutide vs tirzepatide.[2][9][10]
- FDA label, Ozempic (semaglutide) injection, Novo Nordisk (DailyMed)
- FDA label, Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets, Novo Nordisk (DailyMed)
- Wilding JPH et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med 2021;384:989-1002 (STEP-1) (NEJM)
- FDA label, Rybelsus and Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets, Novo Nordisk (DailyMed)
- Ozempic list price (wholesale acquisition cost), Novo Nordisk Pricing, May 2026 (Novo Nordisk)
- Wegovy list price (wholesale acquisition cost), Novo Nordisk Pricing, March 2026 (Novo Nordisk)
- Ozempic cost and coverage: savings card and self-pay prices, read October 3, 2026 (Novo Nordisk)
- Wegovy cost and coverage: savings card, self-pay prices, and the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, read October 3, 2026 (Novo Nordisk)
- FDA label, Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection, Eli Lilly (DailyMed)
- FDA label, Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection, Eli Lilly (DailyMed)