How Wegovy comes packaged: pens, doses and what to expect in the box

Step 1: recognising the pen format you've been prescribed

Wegovy is manufactured by Novo Nordisk and supplied as a subcutaneous injection pen. The pen is pre-filled with semaglutide solution, you don't draw up a dose or attach a separate needle before injecting. Each pen delivers a fixed amount: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1.0 mg, 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg, depending on where you are in the titration schedule. From January 2026 a higher 7.2 mg maintenance dose became available in the UK, initially supplied as three 2.4 mg pens used weekly; then on 14 April 2026 the MHRA approved a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg pen with an auto-dosing mechanism and a built-in covered needle that locks automatically after use, making it simpler to handle. You can read the full MHRA announcement on the gov.uk news page for the 7.2 mg pen approval.

One pen covers one week. The pen is used once and then disposed of safely, a sharps container is the correct route, not the household bin. The Patient Information Leaflet inside every box gives the step-by-step injection instructions for that specific strength.

Step 2: what the box actually contains

A standard Wegovy prescription box contains four pens, one per week of that dose stage. The carton is labelled with the strength, the Novo Nordisk brand markings, a batch number and an expiry date. Inside you'll find the pens in a tray, a Patient Information Leaflet, and in most UK pharmacy supplies a small alcohol swab or swab pack for site preparation. The pens themselves are colour-coded by strength in Novo Nordisk's design, which helps reduce the risk of picking up the wrong pen when you have more than one dose stage in the house at once.

The outer carton you receive from a GPhC-registered pharmacy will also carry pharmacy labelling with your name, the prescriber's instructions and any specific storage or handling notes. At nume, Wegovy is dispatched in plain, unbranded outer packaging, discreet enough that nothing on the outside signals what's inside, which a lot of patients tell us matters. For a broader look at the semaglutide format as a medicine, the semaglutide packaging guide covers the wider picture.

Step 3: storage from delivery to use

Once the box arrives, it goes straight into the fridge, 2 to 8°C, upright, away from the freezer compartment. Most people keep it in the fridge door, which works fine provided the temperature stays within range. If you're somewhere without reliable refrigeration, the SmPC and Patient Information Leaflet specify how long a pen can be kept at room temperature before it must be used or discarded; that window is product-specific and the leaflet is the only source you should rely on for the exact figure. A useful overview of the medicine's properties is available via the NHS medicines page for semaglutide.

Pens should not be frozen, should not be stored in direct sunlight or a hot car, and should be used by the expiry date on the carton. If a pen looks discoloured, cloudy or contains particles, it shouldn't be used, contact your pharmacy. After use, the pen goes into a sharps container rather than a standard bin.

Step 4: how the packaged format connects to clinical review

The reason each box carries only four pens (one per week) is directly tied to how the titration schedule works. Prescribers step the dose up roughly every four weeks, so each supply period corresponds to one dose stage. Before a new strength is dispensed, a clinician reviews whether to proceed. At nume, that review happens before every repeat supply; a prescriber reads your update, not software. If you're looking into where Wegovy is available or curious about how the different dose stages compare, the Wegovy dose strengths page explains each step in the schedule.

Cost varies by dose stage and provider. The Wegovy price comparison guide sets out what the UK market typically charges at each strength, including what a legitimate price should cover (consultation, prescription, and aftercare) not just the pen itself. For a full picture of what's involved in starting treatment, the weight-loss treatments page is the place to begin your free consultation.