Mounjaro®
Starting from £179.99/mo
Start journey Learn moreHow the naming works, what the licences say, and which version is right for you
Wegovy is semaglutide, the brand name signals the licensed purpose
Novo Nordisk makes two injectable semaglutide products for the UK market. Wegovy is licensed for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above alongside a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure or obstructive sleep apnoea. Ozempic uses the same molecule but is licensed specifically for type 2 diabetes, it is not a weight-loss medicine in UK law, and the distinction matters practically because a prescriber cannot legally issue Ozempic to treat obesity. There is also Rybelsus, an oral semaglutide tablet, but again, that product's licence covers type 2 diabetes, not weight management. The oral weight-loss tablet is Wegovy tablets, approved by the MHRA in June 2026 as a separate product. So when someone asks whether semaglutide and Wegovy are the same, the accurate answer is: same molecule, different licensed uses, and the brand name tells you which purpose it is approved for.
The practical upshot: if you are seeking treatment for weight management, Wegovy is the product a UK prescriber can lawfully use. Semaglutide as a general term covers the molecule; Wegovy as a brand covers the licensed weight-loss form.
What the doses and formats actually look like
Wegovy injection follows a step-up schedule that begins at 0.25mg weekly and increases gradually through 0.5mg, 1.0mg and 1.7mg, with 2.4mg as the standard maintenance dose. In January 2026, the MHRA approved a 7.2mg maintenance option, and on 14 April 2026 a dedicated single-dose 7.2mg pen was approved for adults with a BMI of 30 or above. Trials at 7.2mg reported around 20.7% average weight loss over 72 weeks, narrowing the gap with tirzepatide's results. The prescriber decides the pace of titration based on how well each dose is tolerated. Wegovy tablets, approved in June 2026, follow a different daily schedule starting at 1.5mg and reaching a 25mg maintenance dose, a separate product with its own trial evidence showing roughly 13.6% average weight loss over 64 weeks, or around 17% among participants who adhered fully throughout. The injection and the tablet are both semaglutide; choosing between them is a clinical conversation, not simply a preference. Availability of specific doses and formats is confirmed at consultation. If you are weighing the injection against other GLP-1 options, a broader look at GLP-1 medicines sets out the landscape.
How Wegovy compares with tirzepatide (Mounjaro) on the evidence
Because people often arrive at the semaglutide-vs-Wegovy question on their way to a broader comparison, it is worth setting out what the clinical evidence shows between semaglutide and the other major licensed weight-loss injection. The STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that participants taking semaglutide 2.4mg lost an average of around 15% of their body weight over 68 weeks alongside lifestyle changes. Tirzepatide's SURMOUNT-1 trial showed average reductions of around 20–21% at the 15mg dose. The SURMOUNT-5 head-to-head trial (published in the NEJM in 2025) directly compared tirzepatide with semaglutide 2.4mg over 72 weeks and found tirzepatide produced greater average weight loss. The 7.2mg Wegovy dose narrows that gap. Our treatment page shows the options currently available through nume's pharmacy, and the table below lays out the key factual comparison.
| Factor | Wegovy (semaglutide) injection | Wegovy (semaglutide) tablet |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Route | Once-weekly subcutaneous injection | Once-daily oral tablet |
| Maintenance dose | 2.4mg (7.2mg also licensed) | 25mg |
| Average weight loss in trials | ~15% at 2.4mg (STEP 1, 68 weeks); ~20.7% at 7.2mg [Source: NEJM; MHRA] | ~13.6% average; ~17% fully-adherent (OASIS 4, 64 weeks) [Source: MHRA] |
| Storage | Refrigerated (2–8°C); see PIL for room-temp window | Room temperature; no refrigeration needed |
| UK weight-loss licence | Yes (BMI ≥30, or ≥27 with a weight-related condition | Yes) BMI ≥30, or ≥27 with a weight-related condition |
The decision our prescribers help you make
The question is rarely just semaglutide vs Wegovy, it is usually which semaglutide format suits your life, or whether a different medicine such as tirzepatide might be a better fit clinically. Factors that come up in consultations include how comfortable someone is with injections, their daily routine for an oral medicine, any conditions that might affect absorption, and what previous treatments they have tried. Some people find the comparison with liraglutide relevant if they have tried Saxenda before. Others are deciding between semaglutide and dulaglutide, and that comparison has its own nuances. For those who have looked at Saxenda specifically, the evidence comparison is worth reading. The cost picture matters too, and our guide to Wegovy pricing explains what a legitimate private price actually includes. None of these comparisons produces a single right answer. Which medicine is appropriate for you is a clinical determination. Start your free consultation and a GPhC-registered prescriber at nume will work through it with you.
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