Ozempic vs Wellbutrin: Weight Loss, Side Effects, Price
Ozempic is a GLP-1 medicine (weekly injection); Wellbutrin is bupropion, an antidepressant pill, not a weight-loss GLP-1. Ozempic is FDA approved for it is for type 2 diabetes, and also for heart risk and kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
Ozempic in brief
Its half-life is about 1 week. After 7 d, half is gone, and about 3% remains after five half-lives (35 d).
For type 2 diabetes, the 30-week SUSTAIN 1 trial found 4.7 kg lost, compared with 1.2 kg for placebo.
In US dollars, monthly price points cover the list price and self-pay offers. Each figure comes from the maker's price page.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), healthsystemtracker.org, prnewswire.com 1 2.
Ozempic and Wellbutrin side by side
| Ozempic | Wellbutrin | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Ozempic | Wellbutrin |
| Active ingredient | semaglutide | Not listed |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Not listed |
| How it is taken | Weekly injection | Not listed |
| Approved for | It is for type 2 diabetes, and also for heart risk and kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes | Not listed |
| First FDA approval | 2017 | Not listed |
| Most common side effect | Nausea 20.3% vs 6.1% on placebo | Not listed |
| List price | $1,027.51 per pen | Not listed |
| Self-pay from | $199 per month | Not listed |
| FDA shortage | Resolved February 21, 2025 | Not listed |
| What it is | Not listed | Bupropion, an antidepressant pill, not a weight-loss GLP-1 |
Sources: FDA label, FDA label (DailyMed), Novo Nordisk pricing, TrumpRx.
Price and coverage compared
| Medicine | How you pay | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ozempic | List price before insurance | $1,027.51 per pen |
| Ozempic | Ozempic Savings Offer (insured) | starting at $25 each month, for no more than 3 months |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: Ozempic pill (from 1.5 mg) | $149 per month |
| Ozempic | For the first 2 fills, self-pay customers pay an introductory price on the Ozempic pen at 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg | $199 per month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: the Ozempic pen is 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, or 1 mg | $349 per month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: Ozempic pen 2 mg | $499 per month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay via TrumpRx | $199 per month |
Price checks took place in November 2026: Novo Nordisk pricing, NovoCare, TrumpRx.