What Is Wegovy?

Wegovy is the brand name for semaglutide when it is prescribed for weight management. It is made by Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, and was officially launched in South Africa on 18 August 2025 after SAHPRA approval. It is taken as a once weekly injection just under the skin, using a pre-filled pen.

If you have heard of Ozempic, you have already heard of semaglutide. Wegovy and Ozempic share the same active ingredient. They differ in the doses available and the indication they are approved for. We unpack that distinction below because it gets confused often.

The Active Ingredient: Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a hormone your gut releases when you eat. It tells your pancreas to release insulin, slows down your stomach, and acts on the brain to reduce appetite. Semaglutide is a synthetic molecule designed to mimic GLP-1 but stick around in the body much longer, which is what makes weekly dosing possible.

The hormone itself breaks down within minutes of being released. Semaglutide has a half life of around seven days. That means a single weekly injection keeps the GLP-1 receptors activated continuously.

Who Makes It And How It Got To South Africa

Novo Nordisk developed semaglutide. The company has produced GLP-1 medications since liraglutide (Victoza and Saxenda) over a decade ago. Semaglutide arrived first as Ozempic in 2017, then as the oral Rybelsus in 2019, then as Wegovy at higher doses for weight management in 2021.

Wegovy was launched globally over the following years. South Africa came late in that rollout, with SAHPRA registration in 2025 and launch on 18 August 2025. Five dose strengths are available locally: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, and 2.4 mg.

One important note. In March 2026, Novo Nordisk announced substantial price reductions on Wegovy in South Africa. The starting dose dropped from around R3,090 per month to roughly R1,873. The maximum dose dropped 27 percent. This made the medication meaningfully more accessible in the SA market.

What Wegovy Is Approved For In South Africa

Chronic weight management

Approved by SAHPRA as an adjunct to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity in adults with:

• A BMI of 30 kg/m² or more (clinical obesity), or
• A BMI of 27 kg/m² or more with at least one weight related health condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea, or high cholesterol

Adolescents aged 12 and older

Wegovy is also approved internationally and in SA for use in adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity. The same titration principles apply with extra clinical oversight.

Cardiovascular risk reduction

Following the SELECT trial results, Wegovy was approved as the first weight management medication to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death) in adults with established cardiovascular disease and a BMI of 27 or more. See the heart health page.

Wegovy vs Ozempic vs Rybelsus

All three are semaglutide, all made by Novo Nordisk. The distinctions matter.

The key point: if you want semaglutide for weight management in South Africa, Wegovy is the SAHPRA approved option. Ozempic is registered for diabetes only. Using Ozempic 'off label' for weight loss has become less common as Wegovy availability has improved. See the full comparison.

How It Is Different From Older Weight Loss Medications

Vs older appetite suppressants

Stimulant-based appetite suppressants like phentermine work through a different mechanism, are short term only, and have significant cardiovascular concerns. Semaglutide is intended for long term use and works on the body's own hormone signalling.

Vs orlistat (Xenical)

Orlistat works in the gut, blocking some fat absorption. It produces modest weight loss with unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects. Semaglutide acts centrally and metabolically with substantially greater effect.

Vs liraglutide (Saxenda)

Saxenda is an older GLP-1 from the same manufacturer, given as a daily injection. Wegovy is weekly and produces larger average effects. Wegovy has largely replaced Saxenda as the GLP-1 of choice when cost permits.

Vs tirzepatide (Mounjaro)

The closest competitor. Mounjaro acts on two pathways (GLP-1 and GIP) versus Wegovy's single pathway. In head to head trials, Mounjaro produces somewhat greater average weight reduction. Both work. Both have similar side effect profiles. Full comparison here.

What Wegovy Does Not Do

• It does not make weight loss effortless. It works by reducing appetite. If a person eats around the appetite reduction, the medication produces less effect.
• It does not work without lifestyle adjustment. The SAHPRA approval is specifically as an adjunct to reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.
• It is not a short term fix. Studies consistently show weight tends to return after stopping. It is intended as a long term treatment for a chronic condition.
• It is not for everyone. Pregnancy, certain rare cancers, certain pancreatic conditions, and severe gastrointestinal disease are reasons to avoid it.

Available Doses

Wegovy comes in five single use pre-filled pen strengths:

• 0.25 mg (starting dose only)
• 0.5 mg
• 1 mg
• 1.7 mg
• 2.4 mg (maintenance dose)

Treatment starts at 0.25 mg weekly for four weeks to let the body adjust, then increases through the dose steps every four weeks until reaching the target 2.4 mg dose, or staying at a lower dose if that is producing the desired effect. See the dose schedule.

Frequently Asked