Ozempic vs Wegovy for Weight Loss: Key Differences

Key Takeaways

Ozempic and Wegovy are brand names of the generic drug semaglutide. However, Ozempic is not approved as a weight loss drug but is approved to treat type-2 diabetes. Wegovy, on the other hand, is approved for weight loss.
Since they are approved to treat different conditions, they have different eligibility requirements, product strengths, out-of-pocket costs, and insurance coverage.
Wegovy is better for weight loss than Ozempic. However, Ozempic is sometimes prescribed off-label for weight management.

Ozempic and Wegovy are brand names of the generic drug semaglutide. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially approved Ozempic (semaglutide) as a treatment for type-2 diabetes in 2017. In 2021, semaglutide became an FDA-approved drug for chronic weight management under the brand name Wegovy.

Patients who are interested in taking Ozempic or Wegovy for weight loss want to understand the key differences between them. In this article, we are comparing Ozempic vs Wegovy for weight loss.

What is the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?

Here are the main differences between Ozempic and Wegovy:

FDA Approval

The FDA approved Ozempic for diabetes in 2017. The FDA approved Wegovy for weight loss in 2021.

Uses

Ozempic is used to treat type 2 diabetes, along with a diet and exercise program. It helps to improve glycemic control, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and major adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes in people with established cardiovascular disease.

Along with a healthy diet and exercise regimen, Wegovy is used for weight management in obese or overweight individuals with at least one of the weight-related health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

Wegovy leads to a reduced risk of cardiometabolic risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, fatty liver, and certain cancers.

Eligibility

Ozempic is for people 18 years of age and older with type-2 diabetes.

Wegovy is for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or higher or a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or higher with at least one weight-related comorbid condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. It is also approved for use in children 12 years of age and older who have a BMI at the 95th percentile or higher for age and sex.

Dosage Forms and Strengths

Ozempic comes as multi-dose injection pens containing 2 mg (milligrams)/1.5 mL(milliliters), 2 mg/3 mL, 4 mg/3 mL, and 8 mg/3 mL.

Wegovy comes as single-use injection pens containing 0.25 mg/0.5 mL, 0.5 mg/0.5 mL, 1 mg/0.5 mL, 1.7 mg/0.75 mL, and 2.4 mg/0.75 mL.

Ozempic dosing

The starting dose of Ozempic is 0.25 mg injected subcutaneously once a week for 4 weeks. This is an initiation dose and is not effective in controlling blood sugar levels. The dose is then increased to 0.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks.

If your blood sugar levels are well-controlled after 4 weeks, you will continue on this dosing regimen of 0.5 mg once weekly.

If your blood sugar levels are still not under control, your doctor may increase the dose to 1 or 2 mg once weekly.

The maximum recommended dosage of Ozempic is 2 mg once weekly.

Wegovy dosing

The starting dose of Wegovy is 0.25 mg injected subcutaneously once a week for 4 weeks, followed by 0.5 mg once a week for 4 weeks.

These are initiation doses and are not effective for weight loss. The dose is then increased to 1 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, 1.7 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, and then 2.4 mg weekly. The recommended maintenance dose (or target dose) of Wegovy for weight loss is 2.4 mg once a week, although some people cannot tolerate more than 1.7 mg weekly.

Cost

The list price of each Ozempic pen is $935. The list price of Wegovy is $1,349 per package.

Insurance Coverage

Ozempic may not be covered by insurance when it is prescribed for weight loss since this is an off-label use. Insurance companies are not required to cover Wegovy for weight loss, but coverage is more likely since chronic weight management is an approved use of this drug.

What are the similarities between Ozempic and Wegovy?

The similarities between Ozempic and Wegovy include:

Ozempic and Wegovy are manufactured by the same pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk.
Both Ozempic and Wegovy contain the same generic drug (active ingredient) semaglutide. Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) receptor agonist. These medications work by mimicking a natural hormone called GLP-1 that causes the pancreas to secrete more insulin. They also delay gastric emptying, making you feel fuller faster and reducing appetite and caloric intake, thereby leading to significant weight loss.
Both medications are only available as brand name products. There are no generic equivalents at this time.
Both are prescription drugs that come in the form of an injection pen. They are administered by subcutaneous (under the skin) injection in the upper arm, abdomen, or thigh once a week.
The dose of Ozempic and Wegovy is increased slowly over time to reach a maintenance dose.
They work along with lifestyle changes such as a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Ozempic & Wegovy cause similar adverse effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, upset stomach, gas, belching, and heartburn.
Both Wegovy and Ozempic carry a boxed warning for medullary thyroid cancer and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2). Patients with a personal or family history of these conditions are at high risk and should not take semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic).
Taking Ozempic and Wegovy can lead to an increased risk of medical conditions such as acute pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney disease, increased heart rate, low blood sugar, and suicidal ideation.

What is better for weight loss: Ozempic or Wegovy?

Wegovy is better for weight loss than Ozempic for the following reasons:

Wegovy is among the weight loss drugs approved by the FDA. Ozempic is approved for the treatment of type-2 diabetes.
The recommended maintenance dose of Wegovy is 2.4 mg per week. This dose is most likely to result in a reduction in body weight. The maximum recommended dose of Ozempic is 2 mg per week. This is lower than the 2.4-mg dose that has been found to cause significant weight loss. Therefore, Wegovy is likely to cause greater weight loss than Ozempic if side effects are tolerated.
Wegovy is approved for use in children 12 years of age and older for weight management if they meet the BMI criteria. Ozempic is used in adults 18 years of age and older for the treatment of type-2 diabetes.
Most insurance companies are more likely to cover Wegovy for weight loss since it is an FDA-approved weight loss medication. Even though Ozempic contains the same drug (semaglutide), insurance is less likely to cover Ozempic for weight management since this is an off-label use of Ozempic.
If you are prescribed Ozempic to treat type-2 diabetes, insurance coverage won’t likely be an issue since it is used for an FDA-approved indication.

Check out our blog to learn more about Wegovy’s uses and side effects.

Is Ozempic a weight loss drug?

No, Ozempic is not approved as a weight loss drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

It is FDA-approved to treat type-2 diabetes. However, some doctors prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight loss.

It contains semaglutide as the main active ingredient. Another drug, Wegovy, also contains the same active ingredient, semaglutide, and is among the FDA-approved weight loss medications.

Although they contain the same drug, semaglutide, there are some differences between Ozempic vs Wegovy.

Check out our blog to learn more about Ozempic for weight loss.

How much weight can you lose in a month with Wegovy?

Systematic reviews and clinical trials have shown that people are more likely to lose weight on semaglutide than placebo. A weight reduction of up to 15% from the baseline weight can be achieved as a result of semaglutide and lifestyle interventions.

This means if you weigh 232 pounds at the start of Wegovy treatment, you can lose an average of 35 lbs after 68 weeks on this weight loss medicine. Keep in mind that each person’s response to the medicine varies. Also, the lost weight tends to come back after stopping Wegovy.

What is the price difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?

The list price of Ozempic is $935 for each multi-dose pen. The list price of Wegovy is $1,349 per package.

Key Takeaways

Although Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide, Wegovy is taken at a higher dose for weight loss. For this reason, you are likely to lose more weight on Wegovy compared to Ozempic.

An obesity medicine specialist or obesity expert can help you decide which prescription medication for weight loss is right for you.

Understanding the differences between Wegovy vs Ozempic, as well as the risks, can help you make an informed decision about taking these drugs.

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