Semaglutide: the common name behind Wegovy and what the evidence says

Where the name comes from and why regulators assign it

Every medicine approved for human use is given an international nonproprietary name, or INN, by the World Health Organisation. This common name identifies the active molecule regardless of which company makes it or what brand appears on the box. Semaglutide's INN reflects its chemical lineage: it is a synthetic analogue of the human hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), modified to survive the body's usual digestive breakdown and remain active for around a week. The peptide structure of semaglutide is what gives it that extended half-life.

Understanding this distinction matters practically. When you see semaglutide on a prescription label, a pharmacy shelf, or a clinic's website, the semaglutide trade name tells you which licensed indication applies. Wegovy is licensed for weight management; Ozempic carries a diabetes licence. A prescriber writing for weight loss will specify Wegovy; a GP managing blood-glucose control will specify Ozempic. The common name does not imply interchangeability between the two.

The NHS medicines page for semaglutide explains both indications clearly and is a good starting point if you want the patient-level summary from an official UK source.

What the clinical evidence established at the 2.4 mg dose

The STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, randomised 1,961 adults with obesity or overweight plus at least one weight-related condition to either semaglutide 2.4 mg once weekly or placebo, alongside lifestyle support, for 68 weeks. Participants receiving semaglutide achieved an average body-weight reduction of around 15%, compared with roughly 2.4% in the placebo group. That figure (15% average loss) is the one most commonly quoted in clinical contexts for the 2.4 mg injection dose, and it is the basis on which NICE's appraisal of semaglutide for weight management (TA875) was built.

NICE recommends semaglutide within specialist weight management services, for a maximum of two years, for adults with a BMI of 35 or above and at least one weight-related comorbidity (with lower thresholds for some ethnic backgrounds). That NHS route exists, but waiting lists at qualifying services are commonly long. Private treatment through a regulated pharmacy is the alternative for people who are clinically suitable but cannot access the NHS pathway quickly.

For a fuller picture of what the evidence shows across different outcomes, the benefits of semaglutide page covers the trial findings in more detail.

The MHRA's subsequent approvals and what they mean for the common name

Since the original Wegovy 2.4 mg injection licence, the MHRA has added two significant authorisations that expand what semaglutide, under the Wegovy brand, can do. In January 2026, a higher 7.2 mg weekly dose was approved; a single-dose 7.2 mg pre-filled pen followed in April 2026, designed so that one weekly injection delivers the full dose without manual dialling. Trials with the 7.2 mg dose reported average weight loss of around 20.7% over 72 weeks, narrowing the gap with tirzepatide's headline figures.

Then, on 11 June 2026, the MHRA approved oral semaglutide tablets under the Wegovy brand, the first oral GLP-1 medicine licensed in the UK for weight management. The tablet schedule runs from 1.5 mg daily up to a 25 mg maintenance dose, taken first thing in the morning before food or drink. No refrigeration is needed, which many people find easier to manage day-to-day. The Wegovy overview page covers both the injection and tablet forms in full.

It is worth being clear about what Rybelsus is not: oral semaglutide at 3 mg, 7 mg and 14 mg tablet strengths carries a type 2 diabetes licence, not a weight-management one. The Wegovy tablet schedule uses different strengths entirely. The semaglutide brand names guide sets out which brand maps to which licence.

Cost context and how to access semaglutide through a regulated UK pharmacy

Semaglutide under the Wegovy brand is a prescription-only medicine. In the UK, the only lawful route to obtain it is a prescription issued after a genuine clinical assessment. Eli Lilly's reported list-price increase for tirzepatide in September 2025 prompted wider discussion about the cost of GLP-1 medicines generally; private Wegovy pricing varies by dose and provider, typically in the range of £149–£375 a month, though those figures shift and are best treated as a rough market reference rather than a quote.

Sellers offering semaglutide without requiring a clinical assessment, or pushing prices far below what the licensed supply chain could sustain, are a serious red flag. The MHRA has warned publicly about counterfeit weight-loss injections circulating online. For honest cost context rather than a race to the lowest number, the Wegovy pricing page explains what a legitimate private price typically includes.

At nume, a named GPhC-registered prescriber reads every consultation the same day, not software, not an algorithm. Order before 12pm on a weekday and, once clinically approved, your treatment leaves our pharmacy the same afternoon, arriving with DPD the next working day in plain packaging. If you are ready to find out whether semaglutide is suitable for you, speak to our prescribers through a free consultation.