Wegovy: what it treats, how well it works, and what it costs
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The short answer
Wegovy is semaglutide from Novo Nordisk, approved for long-term weight management in adults and teens 12 and older with obesity, for lowering heart-attack and stroke risk in adults with heart disease and overweight, and for a fatty-liver disease called MASH. It comes as a weekly injection or a daily pill. Self-pay runs $149–$399 a month.
Definition
Wegovy is a brand of semaglutide made by Novo Nordisk for chronic weight management. FDA approved the weekly injection on June 4, 2021 and the daily Wegovy tablets on December 22, 2025. It is also approved to cut cardiovascular risk in adults with heart disease and overweight, and (accelerated approval) for MASH with F2 to F3 liver fibrosis.
Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Maker | Novo Nordisk |
| Approved | Injection June 4, 2021 (NDA 215256); tablets December 22, 2025 (NDA 218316) |
| Approved for | Weight (adults; teens 12+ for the injection), heart-risk reduction (no diabetes needed), MASH in adults (injection, accelerated)[1] |
| Forms | Single-dose pens and syringes, FlexTouch pen, 7.2 mg HD pen, daily tablets |
| Boxed warning | Thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents |
| Self-pay (NovoCare) | Pen $349 a month; HD $399; pill $149 to $299[9] |
| Prescription | Required |
Wegovy is the weight-management brand of semaglutide, the same molecule as Ozempic. Since its 2021 launch, its label has grown more than any other GLP-1 drug's: a teen approval, a heart-risk approval, a liver approval, a higher dose and a pill. It's also the only semaglutide product approved for people who don't have diabetes.
Wegovy is semaglutide approved for weight management
Wegovy is the semaglutide product approved for weight. It works like the rest of the family. It copies the gut hormone GLP-1, which the label calls “a physiological regulator of appetite and caloric intake.” It reduces calorie intake, with “greater fat mass loss than lean mass loss” [1]. The full mechanism is on our semaglutide page.
What sets Wegovy apart is dose and label. Its weekly injection goes up to 7.2 mg, well above Ozempic's 2 mg ceiling, and its label is written for weight and heart risk rather than blood sugar.
Wegovy is approved for weight, heart risk and a liver disease
The Wegovy label lists three uses for the injection and two for the pill. The injection reduces excess weight and keeps it off in adults and teens 12 and older with obesity, and in adults with overweight plus a weight-related condition. It lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death in adults with heart disease and obesity or overweight. And it treats MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis in adults, under accelerated approval [1]. The pill covers weight and heart risk in adults.
| Date | What FDA approved | Trial behind it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 4, 2021 | Weekly injection for chronic weight management in adults | STEP program | Approval letter [3] |
| December 23, 2022 | Injection extended to teens 12 and older with obesity | STEP TEENS | Drugs@FDA [2] |
| March 8, 2024 | Lower risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death in adults with heart disease and overweight | SELECT [13] | FDA [4] |
| August 15, 2025 | MASH with F2 to F3 fibrosis in adults (accelerated approval) | ESSENCE [15] | FDA [5] |
| December 22, 2025 | Wegovy tablets, a daily pill, for weight and heart risk | OASIS 4 [16] | Approval letter [6] |
| March 19, 2026 | 7.2 mg weekly dose (Wegovy HD) for weight | Label Studies 8 and 9 | Approval letter [7] |
Accelerated approval means continued approval for MASH depends on a confirmatory trial showing clinical benefit.
Is Wegovy for diabetes or weight loss? Weight loss, plus heart and liver protection. Its label doesn't treat type 2 diabetes the way Ozempic's does, but people with type 2 diabetes can take Wegovy for weight. The label notes they lost less weight than people without diabetes, warns about low blood sugar when it's combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea, and says the pill hasn't been studied for weight in type 2 diabetes [1].
Who shouldn't take it? The label rules Wegovy out for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2, and for anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide. It also says not to combine Wegovy with other semaglutide products or any other GLP-1 drug [1]. Because of possible harm to a developing baby, it isn't used in pregnancy.
In trials, Wegovy cut weight about 15% and heart events by 20%
In STEP 1, adults without diabetes on the 2.4 mg injection lost 14.9% of their weight over 68 weeks, against 2.4% on placebo, and half lost 15% or more [11]. In SELECT, adults with heart disease and overweight but no diabetes had 20% fewer major heart events on Wegovy [13].
| Trial | Who was studied | Result | Funded by |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEP 1 [11] | 1,961 adults with obesity or overweight, no diabetes, 68 weeks | Weight −14.9% vs −2.4% | Novo Nordisk |
| STEP 1 extension [12] | 327 participants followed a year after stopping | Regained 11.6 of 17.3 points lost | Novo Nordisk authors |
| SELECT [13] | 17,604 adults with heart disease and BMI 27+, no diabetes | Heart events 6.5% vs 8.0% (hazard ratio 0.80) | Novo Nordisk |
| STEP-HFpEF [14] | 529 adults with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and obesity | Symptom score +16.6 vs +8.7 points; weight −13.3% vs −2.6% | Novo Nordisk |
| ESSENCE, part 1 [15] | 800 adults with MASH and F2 to F3 fibrosis, 72-week interim | Steatohepatitis resolved in 62.9% vs 34.3% | Novo Nordisk |
| OASIS 4 [16] | 307 adults with obesity or overweight, no diabetes, 64 weeks | Weight −13.6% vs −2.2% on the 25 mg pill | Novo Nordisk |
STEP-HFpEF is a trial result; heart failure is not a separate labeled use. The 7.2 mg result is from the label's Study 8 (adults without diabetes): −18.8% vs −15.5% on 2.4 mg and −3.9% on placebo.
What happens if you stop Wegovy? The STEP 1 extension followed people for a year after they came off the drug and the trial's lifestyle program. They regained 11.6 of the 17.3 percentage points they'd lost, about two-thirds, and their blood pressure and other risk factors drifted back too [12].
Wegovy comes as three kinds of pen, a syringe and a daily tablet
Wegovy's injection comes in single-dose pens and syringes, a multi-dose FlexTouch pen and a 7.2 mg HD pen, and the pill comes in four tablet strengths. Storage is one of the bigger practical differences [1].
| Form | Doses | Storage, in the label's words | Self-pay (NovoCare) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-dose pen | 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.7, 2.4 mg; 7.2 mg (HD) | Refrigerate; before cap removal, can be kept at 46°F to 86°F up to 28 days | $349 a month; HD $399 |
| Single-dose syringe | 0.25 to 2.4 mg | Same as the single-dose pen | Not listed separately |
| FlexTouch pen | Four 2.4 mg doses | After first use, 56 days at 59°F to 86°F or refrigerated | Not listed separately |
| Tablets | 1.5, 4, 9, 25 mg | 68°F to 77°F in the original bottle, away from moisture | $149 to $299 a month |
Do you need to keep Wegovy in the fridge? The pens, yes, with the room-temperature windows above. The tablets, no. Our guide to whether Wegovy needs to be refrigerated covers travel and mishaps.
Is there a Wegovy pill, and what is it used for? Yes: Wegovy tablets, approved in December 2025 for weight and heart-risk reduction in adults. The pill is taken daily on an empty stomach and has its own guide, oral semaglutide. For the pill-or-pen decision, see Wegovy pill vs Wegovy injection.
The label sets a starting dose and a maximum for the pen and the pill
The Wegovy label starts the injection at 0.25 mg once a week and allows up to 7.2 mg a week for adults who have tolerated 2.4 mg for at least four weeks. It starts the pill at 1.5 mg once a day, with 25 mg as the top dose [1]. Your prescriber sets the steps in between, which take several months either way.
That gradual start is there to limit stomach side effects. It also shapes cost, because the lowest prices you'll see are for the starting doses.
Most side effects are stomach-related, and most happen while the dose rises
Wegovy's most common side effects are gastrointestinal. The label says 73% of people on the 2.4 mg injection reported stomach side effects, against 47% on placebo, and that “these reactions were most frequently reported during dosage escalation” [1]. Side effects led 6.8% of people to stop, against 3.2% on placebo.
| Side effect | Placebo | Wegovy 2.4 mg |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 16% | 44% |
| Diarrhea | 16% | 30% |
| Vomiting | 6% | 24% |
| Constipation | 11% | 24% |
| Abdominal pain | 10% | 20% |
| Headache | 10% | 14% |
| Fatigue | 5% | 11% |
| Dizziness | 4% | 8% |
The label's warnings include thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents (the boxed warning), pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, low blood sugar, kidney injury from dehydration, severe stomach reactions, allergic reactions, diabetic eye complications, a faster heart rate and aspiration during anesthesia. Gallstones were reported in 1.6% of adults on the injection vs 0.7% on placebo [1]. The label also says to stop Wegovy at least two months before a planned pregnancy.
Each of these has its own guide. Start with Wegovy side effects, is Wegovy safe, Wegovy and nausea, Wegovy and the gallbladder, whether Wegovy makes you tired, whether it makes you pee more and Wegovy and thyroid cancer.
Wegovy self-pay costs $149 to $399 a month through NovoCare
Through NovoCare Pharmacy right now, the Wegovy pen costs $349 a month at every dose from 0.25 to 2.4 mg, the 7.2 mg HD pen costs $399, and the pill costs $149 to $299 depending on dose [9]. New patients pay $199 a month for their first two pen fills at 0.25 or 0.5 mg, through December 31, 2026.
| Option | Doses | Price a month | Fine print |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pen, intro offer | 0.25 or 0.5 mg | $199 | New patients, 2 monthly fills, through December 31, 2026 |
| Pen | 0.25 to 2.4 mg | $349 | One month = 1 box of 4 pens |
| Wegovy HD pen | 7.2 mg | $399 | One month = 1 box of 4 pens |
| Pill | 1.5 mg | $149 | One month = 30 tablets |
| Pill | 4 mg | $199 | One month = 30 tablets |
| Pill | 9 or 25 mg | $299 | One month = 30 tablets |
| Savings card | Commercial insurance that covers Wegovy | As little as $25 | Up to $100 a month in savings |
| Medicare GLP-1 Bridge | Eligible Part D members, weight loss only | $50 copay | CMS demonstration that began July 1, 2026 [10] |
Source: NovoCare's Wegovy savings page. NovoCare says pricing will be updated after December 31, 2026.
Our Wegovy cost guide covers insurance, Medicare and the intro offer in detail, and the monthly cost calculator folds a program's fees into one monthly number.
Compounded semaglutide is not Wegovy
Compounded semaglutide is pharmacy-made and not FDA-approved. FDA doesn't review it for safety or effectiveness, and doesn't check its quality before it ships [8]. The shortage that allowed widespread copies ended on February 21, 2025. Now that NovoCare sells the brand pen for $349 and the pill from $149, the price gap is narrower than it was. See compounded semaglutide vs Ozempic and the compounded semaglutide page.
How Wegovy compares with Zepbound, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Saxenda
Head to head, Zepbound produced more weight loss than Wegovy (−20.2% vs −13.7% at 72 weeks, in a Lilly-funded trial) [17], while Wegovy holds the heart-risk and MASH approvals. Ozempic is the same molecule for type 2 diabetes. Mounjaro is tirzepatide for type 2 diabetes. Saxenda is the older daily liraglutide injection for weight, which lost to semaglutide in STEP 8 (−6.4% vs −15.8%) [18].
Full comparisons: Zepbound vs Wegovy, Ozempic vs Wegovy, Wegovy vs Mounjaro, and the liraglutide page for Saxenda.
Microdosing Wegovy hasn't been tested
A “microdose” of Wegovy means taking less than the label's starting dose, or staying on a small dose long term. No trial has tested that approach, and it isn't on the label. Our GLP-1 microdosing guide lays out what is and isn't known.
You need a prescription; telehealth programs prescribe the pen and the pill
Wegovy needs a prescription. Your clinician can send it to a local pharmacy or to NovoCare Pharmacy for delivery. Many telehealth programs prescribe the brand pen, the pill or both, and charge a membership or program fee on top of the medication.
| Provider | Form | What the monthly price covers | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivím Health | Pill | Maker's price plus a monthly membership | $224/mo |
| Ro | Pill | Maker's price plus a monthly membership | $298/mo |
| AgelessRx | Pen | Membership plus NovoCare medication | $414/mo |
| Maximus | Pen | Monthly plan; labs separate | $449.99/mo |
| Ro | Pen | Maker's price plus a monthly membership | $498/mo |
Prices from each provider's own site, shown as a calendar-month cost at the starting dose with required fees folded in.
Also offered by (no standing monthly price published): Sesame, Sesame, altRx.
Pill programs are scored on the GLP-1 pill programs board.
Research on Wegovy
Medicare and Zepbound or Wegovy: the $50 GLP-1 Bridge, explained
Since July 1, 2026, Medicare has a temporary program that covers three weight-loss GLP-1s for a flat $50 a month. Here is who qualifies, who doesn't, how to apply, and what changes for sleep apnea and diabetes.
How long the Wegovy pill takes to work, from the 1.5 mg start to week 64
The Wegovy pill builds up the same way the shot does: a low start, a few months of dose increases, then most of the loss. Here is what its main trial found, who was in it, and how it lines up with the weekly injection.
How long Wegovy takes to work: what the first months and week 68 looked like
Wegovy's weight loss builds over months, not weeks. Here is what its main trials measured at week 20 and week 68, why the start is slow by design, and who tended to lose less.
How much weight people lost on Ozempic in its diabetes trials
Ozempic isn't approved for weight loss, but its label reports how much weight people lost in every major diabetes trial. Here are those numbers, how they compare with Wegovy, and why the two differ.
Wegovy doses, from the 0.25 mg start to the 7.2 mg maximum
Wegovy's label names one starting dose, two maintenance doses and, since March 2026, a higher 7.2 mg ceiling. Here is what each dose is for, what the trials found at each one, and how the pill's doses differ.
Does Wegovy make you pee more, or feel thirsty or sweaty?
More bathroom trips, a dry mouth, night sweats, a strange taste: people blame all of them on Wegovy. Its prescribing information is clear about which ones it lists, which it doesn’t, and which fluid problem deserves your attention.
Is Wegovy safe? What the FDA label and the trials show
Wegovy has one of the larger safety records of any weight-loss drug, including a heart-outcomes trial of 17,604 people. "Safe" still comes with conditions. Here's what the US label warns about, how often problems showed up, and who the label rules out.
Wegovy cost: cash, insurance, Medicare and the savings card
Hardly anyone should pay Wegovy’s list price. Novo Nordisk’s own pharmacy sells the pen and the pill for a fraction of it, commercial coverage can bring it to $25, and Medicare now has a $50 route. Here’s which price applies to you.
Wegovy and your gallbladder: gallstones, inflammation and what to watch for
Gallbladder trouble is one of Wegovy's listed warnings. It's uncommon, but it shows up more often than on placebo, and the label says weight loss alone doesn't explain it. Here are the numbers by group, the four symptoms to know, and what the label does and doesn't say about people with no gallbladder.
Wegovy nausea, constipation and diarrhea: how common, how long, and when to call
Stomach side effects are the most common thing people feel on Wegovy. They're most frequent while the dose is climbing, and individual bouts of nausea in the trials were usually short. Here are the numbers, how long each symptom tended to last, and the patterns that mean something more serious.
Wegovy compared
Is Wegovy the same as Ozempic? Same drug, different product
Both contain semaglutide from Novo Nordisk. The label, the dose ceiling, the pen and the price are where they part ways.
Wegovy pill or Wegovy shot: cost, results and the trade-offs
Same molecule, same company, two very different routines. The pill is cheaper on NovoCare's cash prices and did nearly as well in its trial. The weekly pen covers more people and goes to a higher dose.
Zepbound or Wegovy: which weight-loss label fits you
The two drugs approved for weight management, compared on what they did head to head, what else each is approved for, and what each costs without insurance.
Compare providers
Providers that offer Wegovy
- Maximus review →
Maximus
You want a brand GLP-1 pill such as Foundayo or Wegovy tablets at a printed cash price, from a provider that names its pharmacies.
- AgelessRx review →
AgelessRx
You want a longevity-focused program for rapamycin or metformin with labs built in, or brand Wegovy pill access with a clear monthly total.
- Ro review →
Ro
You want an FDA-approved GLP-1, such as the Wegovy pill, Foundayo or Zepbound, at a published cash price for each dose, or help getting a pen covered by insurance.
- Heally review →
Heally
You want to talk through off-label rapamycin or metformin with a physician in a live visit, with the medication and visit bundled at a printed monthly price.
- MEDGm review →Visit site →
MEDGmPartner
You want labs, clinician visits, side-effect medicine and shipping in one monthly price that holds at every dose, from a program that names its pharmacies.
See all 21 providers on the brand Wegovy and Zepbound lineup →
Frequently asked
- Is Wegovy for diabetes or weight loss?
- Weight loss, plus heart-risk reduction and a liver disease called MASH. It isn't labeled to treat type 2 diabetes, but people with diabetes can take it for weight; Ozempic is the semaglutide brand for diabetes.
- Is Wegovy the same as Ozempic?
- Same drug, semaglutide, from the same company. Different labels, doses and pens: Wegovy is for weight and goes up to 7.2 mg a week; Ozempic is for type 2 diabetes and tops out at 2 mg.
- Is there a Wegovy pill?
- Yes. FDA approved Wegovy tablets on December 22, 2025 for weight and heart-risk reduction in adults. NovoCare sells it for $149 to $299 a month, depending on dose.
- How much weight do people lose on Wegovy?
- In STEP 1, the average was 14.9% over 68 weeks on 2.4 mg, against 2.4% on placebo. The 7.2 mg dose reached 18.8% at 72 weeks, and the 25 mg pill 13.6% at 64 weeks. Individual results vary.
- Can teenagers take Wegovy?
- The injection is approved for teens 12 and older with obesity. The pill and the 7.2 mg dose are approved for adults only.
- What happens if you stop Wegovy?
- Most people regain weight. In the STEP 1 extension, people regained about two-thirds of the weight they'd lost within a year of stopping, and heart-risk markers moved back toward where they started.
Sources
- [1] Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets, prescribing information (2026). DailyMed label
- [2] Drugs@FDA: Wegovy, NDA 215256 (2026). FDA
- [3] Wegovy approval letter, NDA 215256 (2021). FDA
- [4] FDA approves first treatment to reduce risk of serious heart problems specifically in adults with obesity or overweight (2024). FDA
- [5] FDA approves treatment for serious liver disease known as MASH (2025). FDA
- [6] Wegovy tablets approval letter, NDA 218316 (2025). FDA
- [7] Wegovy supplement approval letter S-029 (7.2 mg dose) (2026). FDA
- [8] FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss (2026). FDA
- [9] NovoCare: Wegovy savings offer and self-pay pricing (2026). Company website
- [10] CMS: Medicare GLP-1 Bridge (2026). Source
- [11] Wilding JPH. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (2021). PMID 33567185
- [12] Wilding JPH. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension (2022). PMID 35441470
- [13] Lincoff AM. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes (2023). PMID 37952131
- [14] Kosiborod MN. Semaglutide in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity (2023). PMID 37622681
- [15] Sanyal AJ. Phase 3 Trial of Semaglutide in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (2025). PMID 40305708
- [16] Wharton S. Oral Semaglutide at a Dose of 25 mg in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (2025). PMID 40934115
- [17] Aronne LJ. Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity (2025). PMID 40353578
- [18] Rubino DM. Effect of Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Daily Liraglutide on Body Weight in Adults With Overweight or Obesity Without Diabetes: The STEP 8 Randomized Clinical Trial (2022). PMID 35015037