Wegovy vs Retatrutide: Weight Loss, Side Effects, Price
Wegovy is FDA approved and sold now; Retatrutide is not FDA approved and is only available in trials. Wegovy is approved for weight loss, heart risk and MASH liver disease.
Wegovy overview
About 1 week is its half-life: after 7 d, half is gone, and five half-lives (35 d) leave about 3%.
During STEP 1, 68 weeks, treatment produced a 14.9% reduction in body weight, compared with 2.4% on placebo.
The list price and self-pay offers appear as monthly price points in US dollars, each taken from the price page the maker posts.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), healthsystemtracker.org, prnewswire.com 1 2.
Retatrutide and Wegovy compared
| Wegovy | Retatrutide | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Wegovy | Retatrutide |
| Active ingredient | semaglutide | Not listed |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Eli Lilly |
| How it is taken | Weekly injection or daily tablet | Not listed |
| Approved for | Weight loss, heart risk and MASH liver disease | Not listed |
| First FDA approval | 2021 | Not listed |
| Average weight loss in trials | 14.9% (STEP 1, 68 weeks) | Not listed |
| Most common side effect | Nausea 44% vs 16% on placebo | Not listed |
| List price | $1,349.02 per month | Not listed |
| Self-pay from | $149 per month | Not listed |
| Medicare GLP-1 Bridge | $50 per month, eligible Part D | Not listed |
| FDA shortage | Resolved February 21, 2025 | Not listed |
| Weight loss pct | Not listed | 22.6% |
| Weeks | Not listed | 80 weeks |
| Expected | Not listed | BLA submission Q1 2027 |
| Expected approval | Not listed | BLA submission Q1 2027 |
Sources: FDA label, FDA label (DailyMed), TrumpRx, CMS.
Cost 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 | For self-pay, the first 2 fills in the Wegovy pen intro use 0.25 mg and 0.5 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 |
In November 2026, prices were checked using TrumpRx 1 2, NovoCare 1 2, CMS.
Where Retatrutide stands
| Retatrutide | |
|---|---|
| Weight loss pct | 22.6% |
| Weeks | 80 weeks |
| Expected | BLA submission Q1 2027 |
| Expected approval | BLA submission Q1 2027 |
Source: prnewswire.com.