Wegovy vs Foundayo: Weight Loss, Side Effects, Price
Wegovy (semaglutide) and Foundayo (orforglipron) are both GLP-1 medicines, weekly injection or daily tablet versus daily tablet. In their own trials, average weight loss was 14.9% and 11.1%. Self-pay starts at $149 per month for Wegovy and $149 per month for Foundayo.
A quick look at Wegovy and Foundayo
Wegovy and Foundayo side by side
| Wegovy | Foundayo | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Wegovy |  Foundayo |
| Active ingredient | semaglutide | orforglipron |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Eli Lilly |
| How it is taken | Weekly injection or daily tablet | Daily tablet |
| Approved for | Weight loss, heart risk and MASH liver disease | Weight loss |
| First FDA approval | 2021 | 2026 |
| Average weight loss in trials | 14.9% (STEP 1, 68 weeks) | 11.1% (ATTAIN-1, 72 weeks) |
| Most common side effect | Nausea 44% vs 16% on placebo | Nausea 35% vs 10% on placebo |
| List price | $1,349.02 per month | $649 per month |
| Self-pay from | $149 per month | $149 per month |
| Medicare GLP-1 Bridge | $50 per month, eligible Part D | $50 per month, eligible Part D |
| FDA shortage | Resolved February 21, 2025 | Not listed |
Sources: FDA label, FDA label (DailyMed), TrumpRx, pricinginfo.lilly.com.
Weight loss compared
No trial has compared them directly, so the results come from separate trials that used different people and lasted different lengths.
| Trial | Who took part | Length | Group | Average weight loss | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OASIS 4 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 64 weeks | Wegovy pill 25 mg daily | 13.6% | 2.4% |
| STEP 1 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 68 weeks | Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly | 14.9% | 2.4% |
| STEP 2 | Adults who have type 2 diabetes along with obesity or overweight | 68 weeks | Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly | 9.6% | 3.4% |
| ATTAIN-1 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 72 weeks | Foundayo 5.5 mg daily | 7.4% | 2.1% |
| ATTAIN-1 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 72 weeks | Foundayo 9 mg daily | 8.3% | 2.1% |
| ATTAIN-1 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 72 weeks | Foundayo 17.2 mg daily | 11.1% | 2.1% |
| ATTAIN-2 | Adults who have type 2 diabetes along with obesity or overweight | 72 weeks | Foundayo 5.5 mg daily | 5.1% | 2.5% |
| ATTAIN-2 | Adults who have type 2 diabetes along with obesity or overweight | 72 weeks | Foundayo 9 mg daily | 7% | 2.5% |
| ATTAIN-2 | Adults who have type 2 diabetes along with obesity or overweight | 72 weeks | Foundayo 17.2 mg daily | 9.6% | 2.5% |
Trial sources: OASIS 4 (FDA label (DailyMed)), STEP 2 (PubMed), STEP TEENS (PubMed), ATTAIN-1 (FDA label (DailyMed)).
Side effect findings compared
Each drug's label tested its own people against a placebo group of its own. So first compare each drug with its own placebo.
| Side effect | Wegovy | Placebo (Wegovy trials) | Foundayo | Placebo (Foundayo trials) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 44% | 16% | 35% | 10% |
| Diarrhea | 30% | 16% | 25% | 11% |
| Vomiting | 24% | 6% | 24% | 4% |
| Constipation | 24% | 11% | 27% | 9% |
| Abdominal Pain | 20% | 10% | 14% | 7% |
| Headache | 14% | 10% | 9% | 7% |
| Fatigue | 11% | 5% | Not listed | Not listed |
| Dyspepsia | 9% | 3% | 16% | 4% |
| Abdominal distension | Not listed | Not listed | 9% | 3% |
Price and coverage compared
| Medicine | How you pay | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | List price before insurance | $1,349.02 per month |
| Wegovy | Wegovy Savings Offer (insured) | from $25 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy pill 1.5 mg | $149 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy pill 4 mg | $199 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy pill 9 mg and 25 mg | $299 per month |
| Wegovy | Under self-pay, the first 2 fills are covered by the introductory Wegovy pen offer, with 0.5 mg and 0.25 mg doses | $199 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy pen 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg | $349 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy HD 7.2 mg pen | $399 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay via TrumpRx | $149 per month |
| Wegovy | Medicare GLP-1 Bridge (Wegovy, eligible Part D) | $50 per month |
| Foundayo | List price before insurance | $649 per month |
| Foundayo | Foundayo Savings Card (insured) | from $25 per month |
| Foundayo | Self-pay: LillyDirect 0.8 mg and 2.5 mg | $149 per month |
| Foundayo | Self-pay: LillyDirect 5.5 mg | $199 per month |
| Foundayo | Self-pay: LillyDirect 9 mg | $299 per month |
| Foundayo | Self-pay: LillyDirect with 14.5 mg and 17.2 mg doses (refill within 45 days) | $299 per month |
| Foundayo | Medicare GLP-1 Bridge (Foundayo, eligible Part D) | $50 per month |
Prices checked November 2026 (8)
TrumpRx 1 2, NovoCare 1 2, CMS, pricinginfo.lilly.com, foundayo.lilly.com, Eli Lilly.
Who should pick which?
- Wegovy comes as a weekly injection or a daily tablet.
- MASH liver disease is one use approved for Wegovy.
- Approval for Wegovy covers lowering heart attack and stroke risk.
- Wegovy has approval for some children under 18.
Your prescriber reviews your health history and other medicines, along with your coverage, before deciding if you should switch between them.