Is there a higher dose of Wegovy than 2.4mg?

The myth that 2.4mg is Wegovy's maximum

Until recently, 2.4mg weekly was both the maintenance dose and the upper limit for Wegovy. That made it a reasonable shorthand, but it is now out of date, and a lot of content online still repeats it.

On 12 January 2026 the MHRA approved 7.2mg as a new maintenance dose, initially supplied as three 2.4mg pens taken in a single weekly session. Then, on 14 April 2026, the MHRA approved a dedicated single-dose 7.2mg pen, one pre-set injection per week, with a built-in covered needle that locks after use. The gov.uk announcement confirming the single-pen approval is worth bookmarking if you want the primary source. So 7.2mg is real, licensed, and available in the UK, not a rumour or a US development.

One practical note: the starting dose is still 0.25mg. The titration pathway runs from there through 0.5mg, 1.0mg, 1.7mg, 2.4mg, and then 7.2mg for those who reach it, and our page explaining whether 2.4mg is the highest dose of Wegovy walks through exactly why that question now has a different answer. Your prescriber decides when and whether each step is appropriate. Specific dose availability is always confirmed at consultation.

What the 7.2mg trial data showed, and what it didn't

The evidence behind 7.2mg is encouraging. Over 72 weeks, participants lost around 20.7% of their body weight on average at this dose, compared with roughly 15% seen in STEP 1 with the 2.4mg dose, as reported in the STEP 1 trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. That closes the gap noticeably with tirzepatide at its highest strength.

Two things to hold onto here. First, these are averages from clinical trials; individual results vary and depend on adherence, diet, activity and biology. Second, the 7.2mg licence is currently for BMI 30 or above only, it does not extend to the lower BMI threshold used when a weight-related condition is present, and it is not approved for the cardiovascular risk-reduction indication. If you want to explore what doses might be relevant to your situation, our overview of the full Wegovy dose range covers each step in detail.

Side effects at 7.2mg follow the same GI-led pattern seen across the semaglutide range: nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, and indigestion are most common, typically peaking after a new dose starts and settling over days to a couple of weeks. If you are already on 2.4mg and want to understand what moving to a higher Wegovy dose would involve in practice, that page covers the clinical and logistical considerations worth discussing with your prescriber. Storing the pen in the fridge door alongside anything else you check daily makes it easier not to miss a weekly dose, the pen needs to be refrigerated at 2–8°C, and the exact guidance on brief room-temperature windows is in the patient information leaflet rather than something to estimate.

How 7.2mg fits into the bigger picture of licensed weight-loss options

Wegovy at 7.2mg is the highest dose of semaglutide available for weight management in the UK. It sits alongside Mounjaro (tirzepatide) as the other injectable approved for the same purpose. The two medicines work differently (semaglutide activates one gut-hormone pathway (GLP-1), while tirzepatide activates two) and the clinical evidence at their respective top doses now places them in roughly similar territory, though individual response varies. For anyone wondering whether a Wegovy dose higher than 2.4mg is something they could be considered for, that page sets out the eligibility criteria and how the step up is managed. The Wegovy treatment page sets out how the medicine works and who it is licensed for under the current UK rules.

For those researching costs alongside doses, the private Wegovy treatment page explains what a legitimate private prescription covers and how pricing is structured, worth reading before comparing headline figures from different providers.

Whether 7.2mg is the right target for you depends on your starting weight, how you respond to earlier doses, any other medicines you take, and your prescriber's clinical judgement. The clinical team at nume reviews every case personally; no algorithm makes that decision. If you have been on 2.4mg and want to understand your options, speaking to a prescriber is the right next step rather than switching doses independently. The FAQs page covers some of the most common questions that come up at that point.

Ready to have your situation reviewed? Start your free consultation and a GPhC-registered prescriber will assess your case the same day.