If you’re like me, you started out your weight loss journey a little confused about all the different GLP-1 brands.  And then there were scientific names that were being thrown around too.  Which was which?  What did each of them do?  Was there really a difference? It was all a little overwhelming. There was so much information out there Google wasn’t all that much help. Every answer seemed to lead to three more questions.

Where to start?

The most obvious answer is Ozempic. 

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve heard of it.  It’s the GLP-1 medication that has gotten all the hype. 

But, what is it?

Let’s start with the very basics.  The actual active ingredient.  The medical name you’ve probably heard but wondered about.

Semaglutide

Brands: Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus

Quick Facts

• GLP-1 receptor agonist.
• Mimics the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone to regulate appetite, blood sugar, and slow gastric emptying.
• First of the modern GLP-1 medications.

It is prescribed for type 2 diabetes, weight management, and reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events.  It is primarily taken as a once-weekly injection, although Rybelsus and a tablet version of Wegovy are taken as daily oral medications.

Other Active Ingredients

We might as well add the rest of the GLP-1 medications to the list, as I’m sure you’ve heard them bandied about and wondered about them. They all suppress appetite, regulate blood sugar, and slow gastric emptying, but they vary in how much weight loss they typically produce.

Tirzepatide

Brands: Mounjaro and Zepbound

Quick Facts

• Dual receptor agonist—targets hormones GLP-1 and GIP.
• Produces greater weight loss than earlier GLP-1 medications.

Tirzepatide builds on what semaglutide started. Because of its greater weight-loss potential, it has become one of the most talked-about medications in the field.  It is prescribed for type 2 diabetes, weight management, sleep apnea, and reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events, and is taken as a once-weekly injection.

Liraglutide

Brands: Saxenda and Victoza

Quick Facts

• GLP-1 receptor agonist.
• Older generation medication.

Liraglutide was one of the earliest GLP-1 medications to gain widespread use. While it was effective, newer medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide generally produce greater weight loss and have largely replaced it for many patients. It is prescribed for type 2 diabetes and weight management.  Taken as a once-daily injection.

Orforglipron

Brands: Foundayo

Quick Facts

• A small-molecule, non-peptide GLP-1 receptor agonist.
• Unlike other GLP-1 meds, it is not based on a peptide hormone.
• Its chemical structure allows it to be given in tablet form.
• No pre-meal fasting requirement.

New as of 2026, it has similar weight loss results to injectables.  Many prefer it over other GLP-1 medications as it is taken as a once-daily pill without the need for pre-meal fasting.  It is prescribed for type 2 diabetes and weight management. 

Retatrutide

Quick Facts

• Not yet approved.  Coming in 2027-2028.
• No official brand name.  Known as a Triple-G medication.
• Triple agonist targeting three hormones: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon.

Developed by Eli Lilly, clinical trials suggest it may become the most powerful weight-loss medication studied to date, with participants achieving roughly 24-28% weight loss.  Taken as a once-weekly injection.    

There are still other GLP-1 medications?!

There are several additional GLP-1 medications you might have heard of. They are approved primarily for type 2 diabetes, including exenatide, dulaglutide, and lixisenatide. While they are still prescribed and remain important treatment options, they generally produce less weight loss than the medications discussed above and are not commonly used for weight management today.

The GLP-1 Family Tree

Don’t worry if this seems confusing. Most people refer to the brand names (Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound), while doctors and researchers often use the active ingredient names (semaglutide, tirzepatide, etc.).

Think of these medications as members of the same family. Some share active ingredients, while others are newer generations built on earlier medications.

As you can see, each medication represents a different generation, built on the one before it. Some became more effective. Others became more convenient. But they all share the same mission: helping regulate appetite, blood sugar, and hunger.

GLP-1 Brands

Now that we’ve covered the active ingredients – what’s the difference between all the different brands?  And how do they affect you?

Semaglutide

Brands: Ozempic, Wegovy, Wegovy Tablet, Rybelsus

Ozempic

Quick Facts

• Diabetes medication.
• Prescribed off-label for weight loss.
• People with BMI of 30 or higher lost an average of 15% of their body weight.

Around 2020, it gained a reputation as a miracle weight-loss drug due to social media and celebrity endorsements, and by 2022, prescriptions had quadrupled.  No wonder it was in the news!  

Administration: Once weekly by self-injection.

Wegovy

Injectable

Quick Facts

• Weight loss medication.
• Must be overweight/obese with at least one weight-related health condition.
• Patients lost 15-17% of body weight over 68 weeks. 
• In another study, 1 in 3 users lost over 20% of their body weight. 

Approved in 2021 for weight loss, it has the same active ingredient as Ozempic (Semaglutide), but it is a higher dosage with marginally greater weight loss.  

Administration: Once weekly by self-injection.

Wegovy

Tablet

Quick Facts

• Weight loss medication.
• Must be overweight/obese with at least one weight-related health condition.
• Patients lost 13.6% to 17% of body weight in 64 weeks.

The identical drug to Wegovy injectable, with the same active ingredient, semaglutide, but it must be taken daily via tablet.  It was approved by the FDA in late 2025.

Note: Those using the Wegovy weekly injection may switch to a Wegovy daily tablet one week after their last injection.

Administration: Once daily by mouth.

Rybelsus

Quick Facts

• Diabetes medication.
• First GLP-1 medication to come in pill form.
• Prescribed off-label for weight loss, but is less effective than high-dose injectables.
• Patients lost 4-5% of body weight in 6 months to a year. 

Approved by the FDA in 2019.  It has the same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy (semaglutide) but at a lower dosage.

 Administration: Once daily by mouth.

Tirzepatide

Brands: Zepbound, Mounjaro

Zepbound

Quick Facts

• Weight loss medication.
• Must be overweight/obese with one weight-related health condition.
• Uses both GLP-1 and GIP hormones.
• Patients lost 18-20% of their body weight.

Approved in 2023.  Provides the most weight loss potential of all the GLP-1 medications. The FDA also approved it to treat obstructive sleep apnea in people with a large body size.  Studies have found that those taking Zepbound for 88 weeks maintained a 25.3% reduction in body weight. 

 Administration: Once weekly by self-injection. 

Mounjaro

Quick Facts

• Diabetes medication.
• Prescribed off-label for weight loss.
• Uses both GLP-1 and GIP hormones.

Approved in 2022. It is identical to Zepbound, with the same active ingredient (tirzepatide) at the same dosages.

Administration: Once weekly by self-injection. 

Liraglutide

Brands: Saxenda, Victoza

Saxenda

Quick Facts

• Weight loss medication.
• Must be overweight/obese with one weight-related health condition.
• Only GLP-1 medication available in a generic form.
• Patients lost 8% of their body weight over 56 weeks.

An old school GLP-1 medication approved in 2014 for chronic weight management.  It has fallen out of favor as it requires a daily injection, and newer GLP-1 medications have significantly more weight loss.

Administration: Once daily by self-injection. 

Victoza

Quick Facts

• Diabetes medication.
• Prescribed off-label for weight loss.
• Patients lost 5-8% of their body weight in 52 weeks.

It has the same active ingredient as Saxenda (liraglutide) but at a lower dose.  Very rarely used for weight loss.  Also available in a generic form.

Administration: Once daily by self-injection.

New GLP-1 Brands Entering the Market

Orforglipron

Brand: Foundayo

Foundayo

Quick Facts

• Weight loss medication.
• Must be overweight/obese with one weight-related health condition.
• Only oral GLP-1 medication with no pre-meal fasting requirement.
• Patients lost 12-15% of their body weight.

The new kid on the block, approved by the FDA in April 2026.  It is a once-daily oral medication and is the only GLP-1 medication that can be taken at any time of day with no food or water intake restrictions. 

Administration: Once daily by mouth.

Retatrutide

Not yet approved

Currently in clinical trials and expected to receive FDA approval in 2027-2028.  It does the same things other GLP-1 medications do, as well as speed up your metabolism and help your body break down fat cells for energy. 

Quick Facts

• Expected to treat both diabetes and weight loss.
• “Triple-G” medication, using three hormones – GLP-1, GIP and glucagon.
• Patients lost 24-28% of their body weight in 48 weeks.

 Administration: Once weekly by self-injection.

Comparing GLP-1 Medications at a Glance

Looking strictly at weight loss, studies suggest Zepbound produces the greatest weight loss among currently approved medications. Wegovy and Foundayo are not far behind. Older medications such as Saxenda and Victoza generally produce less weight loss but may still be appropriate depending on a person’s medical history, insurance coverage, and tolerance for side effects.

The chart below compares the major GLP-1 medications by active ingredient, average weight loss, and method of administration.

Brand	Weight Loss	Form
Ozempic	~15%	Weekly injection
Wegovy	~15-17%	Weekly injection
Wegovy Tablet	~14-17%	Daily pill
Rybelsus	~4-5%	Daily pill
Zepbound	~18-20%	Weekly injection
Mounjaro	~18-20%	Weekly injection
Saxenda	~8%	Daily injection
Victoza	~5-8%	Daily injection
Foundayo	~12-15%	Daily pill
Retatrutide	~24-28% (trials)	Weekly injection

The good news is that you don’t need to memorize all of this. Once you understand that medications are grouped into families based on their active ingredients, the names start making a lot more sense. Whether you’re taking Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, or something else entirely, you’re now better equipped to understand what your doctor is talking about and how your medication fits into the larger GLP-1 picture.

Want to understand how these medications work inside the body?

Read: What GLP-1 Medications Do (Benefits, Side Effects, and Science Explained)

Related Reading

If you’re new to GLP-1 medications, these articles may also be helpful:

• Beginner’s Guide to GLP-1 Weight Loss
• Food Noise Explained: How GLP-1 Medications Change Hunger
• The Basics of Nutrition from a GLP-1 User
• 7-Day GLP-1 Meal Plan for Beginners

Information Sources

Information in this article was compiled from FDA prescribing information, manufacturer data, published clinical trial results, and other publicly available sources. Because GLP-1 medications continue to evolve, always consult your healthcare provider and official prescribing information for the most current details.