Novo Nordisk Wegovy medication details for obesity treatment

Wegovy is a prescription medication developed by Novo Nordisk for the treatment of obesity and overweight conditions. It is indicated for adults with a BMI of 30 or higher, or those with a BMI between 27 and 30 who also experience weight-related comorbidities such as hypertension, sleep apnea, or diabetes.

The drug's active ingredient, semaglutide, mimics the GLP-1 hormone to regulate blood sugar levels, increase satiety, and slow gastric emptying to reduce appetite. Approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2022, Wegovy is administered via a weekly injection.

While Wegovy shares the same active ingredient as Ozempic, the two medications differ in classification, dosage, and cost. Ozempic is specifically developed for type 2 diabetes treatment with a maximum recommended weekly dose of 1 mg, whereas Wegovy is classified for weight loss with a higher dosage reaching 2.4 mg per week.