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Alternative to Rybelsus · Injection

Wegovy

Wegovy is Novo Nordisk's once-weekly semaglutide injection for weight management, at higher doses than Ozempic. It is licensed for adults (and adolescents aged 12 and over) with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, and in the US also to reduce cardiovascular risk and to treat the liver disease MASH. A tablet version, the Wegovy pill, is listed separately.

Rybelsus vs Wegovy: full comparison

Wegovy
Medicine
semaglutide (injection)
Made by
Novo Nordisk
Form
Injection, once weekly
Class
GLP-1 receptor agonist
Licensed for
Weight management; cardiovascular risk reduction
Strengths
0.25 mg · 0.5 mg · 1 mg · 1.7 mg · 2.4 mg · 7.2 mg
First approved
4 June 2021US (FDA)

Key facts

  • First approved by the FDA on 4 June 2021; authorised in the EU on 6 January 2022.
  • Dosing: 0.25 mg weekly, rising every 4 weeks through 0.5, 1 and 1.7 mg to the 2.4 mg maintenance dose. A 7.2 mg weekly dose is now approved in the US (19 March 2026), the UK (6 January 2026) and the EU (February 2026) for some adults with obesity.
  • STEP 1 (68 weeks, adults without diabetes): mean weight change -14.9% with 2.4 mg vs -2.4% with placebo.
  • STEP UP (72 weeks): -18.7% with 7.2 mg vs -15.6% with 2.4 mg and -3.9% with placebo (treatment policy estimand). Higher figures around 21% quoted by the company use a different, on-treatment estimand.
  • SELECT (adults with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity, no diabetes): major cardiovascular events 6.5% vs 8.0% with placebo (hazard ratio 0.80). The FDA added a cardiovascular risk reduction indication on 8 March 2024; the MHRA approved one on 23 July 2024; in the EU the results are in the product information only.
  • MASH (a form of fatty liver disease) with moderate to advanced fibrosis: US accelerated approval 15 August 2025 and UK conditional approval 3 July 2026; not an EU indication.
  • Compared with Rybelsus: Wegovy is a weekly injection licensed for weight management at doses up to 2.4 mg or 7.2 mg weekly, whereas Rybelsus is a daily tablet licensed only for type 2 diabetes.
  • Should not be combined with other semaglutide products such as Ozempic, Rybelsus or the Wegovy pill.
  • US labelling carries a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumours seen in rodents; the EU and UK labels have no boxed warning.

Where Wegovy is available

CountryStatusNotes
US United States Available Once-weekly semaglutide injection for weight management, FDA-approved in June 2021. NovoCare Pharmacy self-pay: $199 a month for the first two months of 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg for new patients (through 31 December 2026), then $349 a month, or $399 a month for the Wegovy HD 7.2 mg pen.
UK United Kingdom Available Weekly semaglutide injection for weight management, including a 7.2 mg pen. Available on the NHS through specialist weight management services under NICE TA875 and widely sold privately by online pharmacies.
CA Canada Available Weekly semaglutide injection for chronic weight management, available on private prescription. BC PharmaCare lists it as a Non-Benefit. Felix lists Wegovy at CAD 394.65 per pen (Ontario price, 21 May 2026).
AU Australia Available Weekly semaglutide injection for weight management, sold on private prescription (Chemist Warehouse: $249.99 to $369.99 per pen on 22 September 2026). The PBAC recommended a restricted PBS listing for people with established cardiovascular disease and obesity in November 2025, but it was not on the PBS medicine search on 22 September 2026.
IE Ireland Available Weekly semaglutide injection for weight management, available privately on prescription (Irish online pharmacies list it from about €240 a month). It is not reimbursed: the NCPE's assessment for weight management was still in progress in September 2026.
NZ New Zealand Available Weekly semaglutide injection for weight management, available privately and not funded by Pharmac. Bargain Chemist listed it at NZD 364.99 to NZD 469.99 per pen on 22 September 2026. Pharmac has placed it on its Options for Investment list for chronic weight management.
DE Germany Available Weekly semaglutide injection for weight management, including the 7.2 mg dose. Self-pay: the G-BA listed Wegovy as excluded from GKV in March 2024. Pharmacy prices range from EUR 172.73 (0.25-1 mg pen) to EUR 277.60 (2.4 mg pen).
FR France Available Weekly semaglutide injection for weight management. Reimbursed at 65% since 15 June 2026 for severe obesity under strict conditions (specialist initiation). Pen prices EUR 146.91 (0.25-1 mg) to EUR 195.10 (2.4 mg) before the dispensing fee.
ES Spain Available Weekly semaglutide injection for weight management. Marketed but not funded by the SNS (since 1 April 2023). Private price not verified.
IT Italy Available Weekly semaglutide injection for weight management. Class C (not reimbursed, self-pay) on a repeatable prescription; price not verified.
NL Netherlands Available Weekly semaglutide injection for weight management, including 7.2 mg. Not covered by basic insurance; average prices on medicijnkosten.nl range from about EUR 105.59 (0.25-1 mg pen) to EUR 233.77 (2.4 mg pen).
AE United Arab Emirates Available Wegovy FlexTouch pens are on sale at UAE pharmacies, from AED 743.50 (0.25 mg and 0.5 mg) to AED 1,712 (2.4 mg) per pen in September 2026.
IN India Available Launched in India in June 2025; also sold by Emcure under the brand Poviztra. Novo Nordisk cut Wegovy prices by up to 48% in 2026.
SG Singapore Approved, not launched Registered with HSA (Novo Nordisk Pharma (Singapore) Pte Ltd) for weight management.
ZA South Africa Available Registered by SAHPRA on 11 February 2025. Single Exit Prices range from R2,291.63 (0.25 mg) to R4,272.14 (2.4 mg) per pack, plus dispensing fee.

Sources

  1. Drugs@FDA: NDA 215256 (Wegovy injection) accessdata.fda.gov
  2. FDA: Wegovy injection and tablets prescribing information (S-007, 06/2026) accessdata.fda.gov
  3. FDA approval letter NDA 215256/S-011 (SELECT cardiovascular indication), 2024-03-08 accessdata.fda.gov
  4. EMA: Wegovy product information ema.europa.eu
  5. GOV.UK (MHRA): Regulator approves up to 7.2 mg dose of semaglutide (Wegovy) (2026-01-06) gov.uk
  6. GOV.UK (MHRA): Semaglutide approved to reduce risk of serious heart problems (2024-07-23) gov.uk
  7. GOV.UK (MHRA): Semaglutide (Wegovy) approved to treat form of liver disease (2026-07-03) gov.uk
  8. Novo Nordisk: European Commission approves higher dose of Wegovy (2026-02-17) globenewswire.com
  9. Wilding JPH et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med 2021;384:989-1002 nejm.org
  10. Wharton S et al. Once-weekly semaglutide 7.2 mg in adults with obesity (STEP UP). Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2025;13:949-963 doi.org
  11. Lincoff AM et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes (SELECT). N Engl J Med 2023;389:2221-2232 nejm.org