Wegovy vs Semaglutide: Weight Loss, Side Effects, Price
Wegovy is a brand of semaglutide, so the medicine inside is the same; Ozempic and Rybelsus are the other semaglutide brands. Wegovy is approved for weight loss, heart risk and MASH liver disease.
- Ingredient
- semaglutide
- Manufacturer
- Novo Nordisk
- Other semaglutide brands
- Ozempic and Rybelsus
- Lowest semaglutide self-pay
- $149 per month, Wegovy
Wegovy in brief
Its half-life is about 1 week: after 7 d, half is gone, and after five half-lives (35 d) about 3% is left.
In STEP 1 over 68 weeks, people lost 14.9% of body weight, compared with 2.4% on placebo.
Prices are given monthly in US dollars, covering list price and self-pay offers, each taken from the maker's price page.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), healthsystemtracker.org, prnewswire.com 1 2.
A side-by-side look at Semaglutide and Wegovy
Approval labels determine each brand's approved uses, forms, and price.
| Medicine | Ingredient | How it is taken | Approved for | Trial weight loss | Most common side effect | Self-pay from | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | semaglutide | Weekly injection or daily tablet | Weight loss, heart risk and MASH liver disease | 14.9% | Nausea 44% vs 16% on placebo | $149 per month | $1,349.02 per month |
 Ozempic | semaglutide | Weekly injection | Kidney disease in people who have type 2 diabetes, along with heart risk and type 2 diabetes | Not listed | Nausea 20.3% vs 6.1% on placebo | $199 per month | $1,027.51 per pen |
 Rybelsus | semaglutide | Daily tablet | Type 2 diabetes and heart risk | Not listed | Nausea 20% vs 6% on placebo | Not listed | $1,027.51 per 30 tablets |
Prices 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 | Medicare GLP-1 Bridge (Wegovy, eligible Part D) | $50 per month |
| Ozempic | List price before insurance | $1,027.51 per pen |
| Ozempic | Ozempic Savings Offer (insured) | for up to 3 months, the cost starts at $25 each month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: Ozempic pill (from 1.5 mg) | $149 per month |
| Rybelsus | List price before insurance | $1,027.51 per 30 tablets |
| Rybelsus | RYBELSUS Savings Offer (insured) | fills of 1, 2, or 3 months start at $25 |
Generic and compounded forms of Semaglutide
On February 21, 2025, the injection shortage was resolved. The older Rybelsus tablet versions are being discontinued.