Semaglutide trade names: which brand does what, and which is licensed for weight loss?

Why does the same molecule have three different brand names?

Novo Nordisk developed semaglutide across several years and brought it to market in stages, with each product designed around a specific clinical need, dose range and formulation. In the UK, that produced three distinct authorised products. Wegovy (the injection, first approved, and the tablet, approved by the MHRA on 11 June 2026 as the first oral GLP-1 medicine licensed in the UK for weight management) covers obesity and weight-related conditions. Ozempic, a once-weekly injection, is authorised for type 2 diabetes. Rybelsus is an oral tablet, also for type 2 diabetes, in doses of 3mg, 7mg and 14mg.

The naming is Novo Nordisk's commercial architecture, not a difference in pharmacology. All three act on GLP-1 receptors, slowing gastric emptying and reducing appetite. What separates them is the dose, the delivery method, and the patient population each was trialled and licensed for. If you have come across the phrase "Wegovy trade name" in a search, you are looking at the weight-management strand of this family. The full picture of what semaglutide is and how it works is covered on our semaglutide overview page.

What exactly is Wegovy, and how has its licence grown since launch?

Wegovy is the semaglutide trade name used for weight management. The original product is a pre-filled weekly injection, starting at 0.25mg and titrated by the prescriber through 0.5mg, 1.0mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg. In January 2026 the MHRA approved a higher 7.2mg maintenance dose; a dedicated single-dose 7.2mg pen followed on 14 April 2026, approved for adults with a BMI of 30 or above. The MHRA has also granted a conditional approval for semaglutide (Wegovy) to treat a form of fatty liver disease known as MASH, announced on 3 July 2026, though at nume we prescribe it for weight management.

The Wegovy tablet was approved by the MHRA on 11 June 2026, the first oral GLP-1 licensed for weight management anywhere in Europe. It is taken once daily first thing in the morning, before food or drink, with a small amount of plain water. The schedule runs from 1.5mg up through 4mg and 9mg to a 25mg maintenance dose. Crucially, the Wegovy tablet's dose ladder (1.5, 4, 9, 25mg) is entirely separate from Rybelsus's 3mg, 7mg and 14mg steps, which belong to the diabetes indication. Mixing up those numbers is one of the most common misunderstandings we see. You can explore the injection in detail on our Wegovy page.

NICE recommended the Wegovy injection for adults with a BMI of 35 or above alongside at least one weight-related comorbidity, within a specialist weight management service and for a maximum of two years, as set out in NICE technology appraisal TA875. Lower BMI thresholds apply for some ethnic backgrounds under UK guidance. Privately, the licensed eligibility criteria are those in the SmPC: BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above with a qualifying weight-related condition.

What about Ozempic and Rybelsus, can they be used for weight loss?

Ozempic is semaglutide in a once-weekly injection format, approved by the MHRA for type 2 diabetes. Its doses run up to 2mg. Rybelsus is the oral tablet for type 2 diabetes, in 3mg, 7mg and 14mg strengths. Neither product holds a UK licence for weight management. The MHRA has been clear that prescribing these medicines for weight loss sits outside their authorised indications, and any pharmacy supplying them for that purpose without a proper clinical basis is operating outside the rules.

This distinction matters practically. Ozempic shortages in 2022 and 2023 led to significant supply problems for people with type 2 diabetes because demand from weight-management use had grown. The MHRA and NHS both responded with public guidance emphasising the licensing boundary. If you are reading about the different names semaglutide goes by because you want to understand what you might be prescribed, the short answer is: for weight management in the UK, the relevant product is Wegovy, in one of its two licensed forms.

A useful way to keep the brands straight is to match the trade name to the condition it treats: Wegovy covers weight, Ozempic and Rybelsus cover diabetes. The full breakdown of semaglutide's other names goes into more depth if you want the complete picture.

Does knowing the trade name change how you access semaglutide for weight loss?

Not in practice. Wegovy, in either its injection or tablet form, is a prescription-only medicine. The route to it is the same regardless of which trade name you searched: a clinical consultation, identity and weight verification, and a prescriber's sign-off. At nume, a GPhC-registered Independent Prescriber personally reviews every consultation, your form is not processed by software. If approved, the medicine is dispensed from our GPhC-registered pharmacy (registration number 9012878, verifiable at the GPhC pharmacy register) and sent out the same day for next-working-day delivery. It arrives in plain, unbranded packaging via DPD, with tracking on your phone.

On price and what it covers, our Wegovy cost page sets out the full picture, because what the headline price includes varies considerably between providers. The NHS website's semaglutide medicines page is also worth reading for a plain-language summary of what to expect. If you have questions about how semaglutide interacts with other medicines you take, our clinical team at the prescriber profile page gives context on our oversight model, and pages like whether topiramate and Wegovy can be taken together cover specific combinations in detail. When you are ready to find out whether you are eligible, the place to start is a free consultation with our prescribers.