What doses does Wegovy come in, and how does the schedule work?

The decision you're really making: which dose is the destination, and how do you get there?

Most people come to this question with a practical goal in mind. They want to know whether they'll be on a low dose for months, whether there's a ceiling, and what the highest dose actually is. The honest answer is that the dose schedule isn't a ladder you climb as fast as possible, it's a titration designed to let your body settle at each level before moving on.

The established Wegovy schedule runs 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1.0mg, 1.7mg, and 2.4mg. You spend roughly four weeks at each step. The 0.25mg starter dose is purely about tolerance: nausea and other GI effects are most common when semaglutide is introduced or increased, and the slow ramp helps minimise them. Therapeutic weight loss builds from 1.7mg upwards for most people, though some see meaningful results earlier. If you want to read more about what happens at each level, the Wegovy dosage guide covers this in detail.

The MHRA approved a 7.2mg maintenance dose in January 2026, initially supplied as three 2.4mg pens per week. Then, on 14 April 2026, a dedicated single-dose 7.2mg pen was approved, one weekly injection, with the dose pre-set. That pen is licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, for weight management only. It is not approved for the cardiovascular indication at that strength. Your prescriber's assessment determines whether 7.2mg is appropriate for you; it isn't automatically available to everyone on Wegovy. The NHS patient information on semaglutide covers the general dose structure clearly.

What the highest Wegovy dose adds, and what the trial evidence actually says

Clinical trial data for semaglutide 2.4mg showed an average body-weight reduction of around 15% over 68 weeks in the STEP 1 trial, in adults without type 2 diabetes. The newer 7.2mg dose takes that further: trials reported around 20.7% average weight loss over 72 weeks, which narrows the gap with tirzepatide (Mounjaro) at its highest dose.

That figure matters when you're weighing up which treatment to discuss with your prescriber. The head-to-head SURMOUNT-5 trial published in 2025 found that tirzepatide produced greater average weight loss than semaglutide 2.4mg over 72 weeks in adults with obesity and no diabetes. Whether 7.2mg semaglutide changes that comparison in practice is something prescribers can discuss with you individually. You can explore how the two treatments compare on our Wegovy overview page.

One thing worth knowing: the decision about which maintenance dose suits you isn't yours to make alone. Dose increases require a clinical review each time, at a regulated service like ours, every repeat order is assessed by a GPhC-registered prescriber before anything is dispatched. If you'd like to understand more about how high Wegovy doses go, that page explains the ceiling and the approval context.

Practical considerations: what the dose steps mean for your prescription

Each dose in the Wegovy schedule comes in its own pre-filled pen. You don't adjust a dial or draw up a dose yourself, each pen delivers a fixed amount. The lower doses (0.25mg and 0.5mg) are sometimes described as starter pens; the 1.7mg and 2.4mg pens are the ones most people spend the majority of their treatment on. The 7.2mg single-dose pen is a newer format entirely, with a built-in covered needle that locks after use.

Storage is the same across doses: refrigeration at 2–8°C, with a limited window at room temperature if you're travelling. For the exact room-temperature window and handling instructions, the Wegovy patient information leaflet is the authority, that detail varies between products and shouldn't be taken from general content. If you're curious about the 0.25mg starter pen specifically, that page has more detail on what to expect from your first weeks.

Cost is also dose-dependent: higher doses generally cost more per pen. If you're thinking about the cost of Wegovy at different stages of treatment, that page sets out what drives the pricing. And if you're still deciding between treatment options, our weight-loss treatment overview explains what's available and how to think through the choice.

Semaglutide doses beyond Wegovy: where Ozempic and Rybelsus fit

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in more than one medicine, and the doses can look confusing side by side. Ozempic (0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 2mg) is the same molecule but licensed for type 2 diabetes (not for weight management) and it isn't prescribed for weight loss through legitimate UK prescribers. Rybelsus is oral semaglutide in 3mg, 7mg and 14mg tablets, also licensed for type 2 diabetes only.

Wegovy tablets are different again: the oral semaglutide weight-loss medicine approved by the MHRA on 11 June 2026 follows a separate dose ladder of 1.5mg, 4mg, 9mg, and 25mg, those strengths are specific to the tablet formulation and have nothing to do with Rybelsus. If you're comparing injection and tablet options, or trying to work out which semaglutide product applies to you, the full guide to semaglutide strengths maps it out clearly.

A question our prescribers hear fairly often is whether a dose from one semaglutide product can be substituted for another, the answer is no. The formulations differ, the licensed uses differ, and switching is a clinical decision. The question of when Wegovy starts working is also one worth reading before starting treatment. When you're ready to talk through which option fits your situation, start your free consultation and a prescriber will review your case the same day.