Ozempic vs Wegovy
Last reviewed against the current FDA prescribing information for both products. Not medical advice.
Short answer
Ozempic and Wegovy contain the same medicine, semaglutide, made by the same company, but they are approved for different things. Ozempic is approved for adults with type 2 diabetes; Wegovy is approved for long-term weight management, for lowering cardiovascular risk in adults with heart disease and obesity or overweight, and for a type of fatty liver disease (MASH) with fibrosis.
The doses also differ. Ozempic tops out at 2 mg once weekly. Wegovy steps up to a 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg weekly maintenance dose, and adults who need more weight reduction can go up to 7.2 mg. Wegovy is also approved for adolescents 12 and older with obesity, and as a once-daily tablet for adults.
The Wegovy label says using it together with other semaglutide-containing products, such as Ozempic, is not recommended. Your prescriber will choose the product that matches your diagnosis.
Key differences
- Approved use: type 2 diabetes (Ozempic) vs weight management, cardiovascular risk reduction and MASH (Wegovy).
- Maximum weekly dose: 2 mg (Ozempic) vs 7.2 mg for adult weight reduction (Wegovy).
- Age: Ozempic’s label covers adults; Wegovy injection is also approved from age 12 for obesity.
- Forms: both have multi-dose pens with needles included; Wegovy also has single-dose pens and syringes and once-daily tablets.
- Weight results: only Wegovy’s label reports weight-management trial results (−14.9% vs −2.4% with placebo at 68 weeks).
Ozempic and Wegovy side by side
| From the FDA label | Ozempic | Wegovy |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | semaglutide | semaglutide |
| Drug class | GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Novo Nordisk |
| FDA-approved uses |
|
|
| Approved for weight management? | No | Yes |
| How it's taken | Injection under the skin (subcutaneous) | Injection under the skin (subcutaneous); also approved as a once-daily tablet (25 mg maintenance) |
| How often | Once weekly | Once weekly (injection) |
| Starting dose | 0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks | 0.25 mg once weekly for weeks 1–4 |
| Dose increases | Then 0.5 mg once weekly. If more blood sugar control is needed, the dose can go up to 1 mg, then 2 mg, each after at least 4 weeks on the current dose | 0.5 mg (weeks 5–8), 1 mg (weeks 9–12), 1.7 mg (weeks 13–16); escalation can be delayed 4 weeks if a step is not tolerated |
| Maintenance dose | 0.5 mg, 1 mg or 2 mg once weekly (1 mg for the chronic kidney disease indication) | 2.4 mg (recommended) or 1.7 mg once weekly for most uses |
| Maximum dose | 2 mg once weekly | 7.2 mg once weekly for weight reduction in adults who have tolerated 2.4 mg for at least 4 weeks and need more weight reduction; 2.4 mg for other uses |
| When to take it | Same day each week, any time of day, with or without meals. The injection day can be changed if the last dose was at least 2 days (48 hours) earlier | Same day each week, any time of day, with or without meals |
| Pens and devices | Multi-dose pens (0.25/0.5 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg dose pens) with NovoFine Plus needles included, and single-dose prefilled syringes (0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg) | Single-dose pens (0.25 mg to 2.4 mg, plus 7.2 mg "Wegovy HD"), single-dose syringes, and a 4-dose Wegovy FlexTouch pen (2.4 mg) with NovoFine Plus needles included. Tablets: 1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg, 25 mg |
| Storage | Before first use: refrigerate. After first use, a pen can be kept at room temperature (59–86°F) or in the fridge for 56 days. Do not freeze | Refrigerate. Single-dose pens and syringes can be kept at 46–86°F for up to 28 days before the cap is removed. FlexTouch: 56 days at room temperature or in the fridge after first use. Do not freeze |
| Weight results in the label | None: not a weight-management product | In the label’s 68-week trial in adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition (Study 2), average weight change was −14.9% with Wegovy 2.4 mg vs −2.4% with placebo, on top of diet and exercise. (Wegovy label, section 14.2, Table 8) |
| Most common side effects (≥5%) | Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Abdominal pain, Constipation | Nausea, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Constipation, Abdominal pain, Headache, Fatigue, Indigestion (dyspepsia), Dizziness, Bloating, Belching, Low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, Gas, Stomach flu (gastroenteritis), Acid reflux (GERD), Hair loss, Altered skin sensation (dysesthesia) |
| Boxed warning | Risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. Do not use if you or a family member have had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). | Risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. Do not use if you or a family member have had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). |
| First FDA approval | December 5, 2017 | June 4, 2021 (injection); December 22, 2025 (tablets) |
Side effects listed are the label's “most common adverse reactions”; the full label also covers serious risks such as pancreatitis, gallbladder problems and low blood sugar. Weight results come from separate placebo-controlled trials and are not a head-to-head comparison unless stated.
Good to know
- Ozempic injection is not FDA-approved for weight management. The weight-management semaglutide product is Wegovy.
- Semaglutide is also sold as a once-daily tablet under the Ozempic and Rybelsus names, which has its own label. This page covers the weekly injection.
- Wegovy tablets are approved for the adult weight-reduction and cardiovascular uses only, starting at 1.5 mg once daily and stepping up monthly to a 25 mg maintenance dose.
- The label says using Wegovy together with other semaglutide-containing products, or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist, is not recommended.
Questions to ask your prescriber
- Which of these is approved for my diagnosis, and is it covered by my plan?
- How should I step up the dose, and what should I do if the side effects are hard to tolerate?
- Do any of my other medicines, or my personal or family history, rule one of these out?
- If I switch from one to the other, what dose should I start on and when?
Sources
- Ozempic (semaglutide) injection — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed (label effective June 1, 2026, version 20) (Sections 1, 2, 3, 6, 16, boxed warning, Instructions for Use; checked September 24, 2026)
- Drugs@FDA: NDA 209637 (Ozempic injection) (Original approval date; checked September 24, 2026)
- Rybelsus / Ozempic (oral semaglutide) tablets — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed (Existence of the Ozempic tablet; checked September 24, 2026)
- Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets — FDA prescribing information, DailyMed (label effective June 18, 2026, version 19) (Sections 1, 2, 3, 6, 14.2, 16, boxed warning, Instructions for Use; checked September 24, 2026)
- Drugs@FDA: NDA 215256 (Wegovy injection) (Original approval date (injection); checked September 24, 2026)
- Drugs@FDA: NDA 218316 (Wegovy tablets) (Original approval date (tablets); checked September 24, 2026)
How we review: every fact on this page is taken from the current FDA prescribing information on DailyMed or from Drugs@FDA, and re-checked on the date shown. This page was reviewed against FDA labeling, not by a named clinician.
Medical disclaimer: This page is general information, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and it doesn't cover every use, dose, warning or side effect. Always follow the advice of your doctor, pharmacist or other prescriber and read the Medication Guide that comes with your medicine. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call your local emergency number. ShotWise is a tracking app and does not prescribe, sell or recommend any medication.
