Wegovy, Ozempic, semagultide—by now, you have probably heard at least one of these names and know, vaguely, that they are medications for weight loss. Their popularity has grown so rapidly that The Echo has previously explored their cultural and social impacts.
But first, to understand these medications, we must start with GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), a hormone naturally produced in the body after eating. According to the National Library of Medicine, GLP-1 stimulates the pancreas to release insulin while suppressing glucagon, which lowers blood sugar levels. It also slows stomach emptying, helping people feel full longer and signaling the brain to reduce appetite. Essentially, GLP-1 helps prevent people from overeating. Because of these functions, the hormone plays an important role in treating diabetes and obesity.
However, naturally occurring GLP-1 is very short-lived, breaking down within one to two minutes in the body, as stated by the National Library of Medicine. To overcome this limitation, researchers at Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, developed a synthetic version of GLP-1 called semaglutide which lasts about one week in the body, making it practical as a medication.
Wegovy and Ozempic are two brand-name drugs based on semaglutide. Although Wegovy is now better known for weight loss, Ozempic was approved first by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017, with Wegovy following in 2021, according to UT Health. Ozempic is prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is approved specifically for obesity. While they contain the same active ingredients, Wegovy is a higher-dose version of Ozempic.
On top of weight loss and diabetes treatment, semaglutide has also been shown to benefit the heart, kidneys, and liver. These effects are believed to come from semaglutide’s ability to lower blood sugar, reduce body weight, and decrease inflammation. However, the exact mechanism of semaglutide’s effectiveness is yet to be investigated, according to The New York Times.
The popularity of semaglutide has been significant since its introduction. As of 2023, it was among the most commonly prescribed medications in the US, with more than 25 million prescriptions, according to Wikipedia. Its commercial success has had a major economic impact. With the strong revenue of Wegovy and Ozempic, Novo Nordisk became the most valuable company in the European Union by market value as stated by Reuters. According to The New York Times, it also accounted for almost all of Denmark’s economic growth.
In the previous Echo article, concerns were raised regarding the high prices of Wegovy, with list prices of $1,400 per month. Recently, however, Novo Nordisk reduced the prices for Wegovy and Ozempic to $349 a month for existing cash-paying patients, according to CNBC. On top of the reduced price, there have been several new developments. On semaglutide’s benefits for liver health, Wegovy has received FDA approval for the treatment of a liver disease called MASH (metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis), according to the US FDA. Furthermore, pharmaceutical companies including Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are developing new daily pills as an alternative to the weekly injections, with these oral medications expected to become available early next year.
Despite their benefits, semaglutide-based drugs do not come without side effects. Common possible effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and headaches, according to the Touro College of Pharmacy.
Wegovy and Ozempic have changed how doctors treat obesity and diabetes, but semaglutide is the real force behind this shift. By copying a natural hormone and lasting longer in the body, semaglutide has opened the door to new ways of treating chronic diseases. While concerns about side effects and cost linger, ongoing research continues to reveal its wider potential. As science builds on semaglutide and similar drugs are developed, this medication may continue to reshape medicine and refine how society approaches health and weight in the future.
