GLP-1 Medications Reference

GLP-1 medications reference

This reference catalogs every GLP-1 receptor agonist commonly available in the United States in 2026, organized by active ingredient and brand. The focus of this site is semaglutide and its forms (Ozempic, Wegovy, compounded semaglutide), but the comparison-class medications — semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus), liraglutide (Victoza, Saxenda), and dulaglutide (Trulicity) — are included because clinical and treatment decisions are made by comparison across the class.

All pages in this section

• Semaglutide — GLP-1 receptor agonist. Brand: Ozempic (T2D), Wegovy (obesity, OSA). STEP-1: ~14.9% mean body weight loss at 68 weeks in adults with overweight/obesity without diabetes.
• Ozempic — Novo Nordisk's brand-name semaglutide for type 2 diabetes. FDA-approved December 5, 2017.
• Wegovy — Novo Nordisk's brand-name semaglutide for chronic weight management (Nov 2023) and OSA in obesity (Dec 2024).
• Compounded semaglutide — Non-FDA-approved compounded formulations of the semaglutide active ingredient. Regulatory environment narrowed post-2024 shortage resolution.
• Semaglutide — GLP-1 receptor agonist. Brand: Ozempic (T2D), Wegovy (obesity + CV risk reduction), Rybelsus (oral).
• Ozempic — Novo Nordisk's brand-name semaglutide for type 2 diabetes. FDA-approved December 2017.
• Wegovy — Novo Nordisk's brand-name semaglutide for chronic weight management (June 2021) and CV risk reduction (March 2024).
• Rybelsus — Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide. The only oral GLP-1 available in the US. FDA-approved September 2019.
• Liraglutide — Daily GLP-1 agonist. Brand: Victoza (T2D), Saxenda (obesity).
• Victoza — Novo Nordisk's brand-name liraglutide for type 2 diabetes. FDA-approved 2010.
• Saxenda — Novo Nordisk's brand-name liraglutide 3.0 mg for chronic weight management. FDA-approved 2014.
• Dulaglutide (Trulicity) — Novo Nordisk's weekly GLP-1 agonist for type 2 diabetes. FDA-approved 2014, with cardiovascular indication expanded 2020.

Frequently asked questions

Which GLP-1 medication produces the most weight loss?

Semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic) is the most-studied GLP-1 receptor agonist for weight loss to date. STEP-1 (Wilding JP et al., NEJM 2021, PMID 33567185) demonstrated -14.9% mean change in body weight on semaglutide 2.4 mg vs -2.4% placebo at 68 weeks. STEP-5 (Garvey WT et al., Nature Medicine 2022) extended this over 2 years with sustained -15.2% mean weight loss at week 104. Tirzepatide produced larger weight loss in head-to-head SURPASS-2 (T2D) and in separate SURMOUNT-1 (obesity) data.

Which GLP-1 has the best cardiovascular evidence?

Semaglutide (Wegovy) has the most robust cardiovascular outcomes data, with the SELECT trial (2023) demonstrating a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with established CVD and overweight or obesity without diabetes. This led to Wegovy's March 2024 FDA approval for cardiovascular risk reduction.

Is there an oral GLP-1 available?

Yes — Rybelsus (oral semaglutide) is the only oral GLP-1 receptor agonist available in the US, FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes. It requires strict administration: 30 minutes before the first food, drink, or medications of the day, with no more than 4 ounces of plain water.

What's the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?

Same active ingredient (semaglutide), same manufacturer (Novo Nordisk), but different FDA-approved labels. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes; Wegovy is approved for chronic weight management (2021) and cardiovascular risk reduction in obesity + CVD (March 2024 label expansion). The OSA indication belongs to Zepbound (tirzepatide), not Wegovy in obesity. Insurance coverage pathways and prescribing decisions depend on the patient's diagnosis.