GLP-1 Agonist Examples: Which Medicines Count (October 2026)

01 · The list

GLP-1 agonist examples by active ingredient

The most useful way to list GLP-1 agonist examples is by active ingredient, since one ingredient can sit behind several brands.

Our own GLP-1 medication examples guide goes through the same families with different emphasis.

02 · Next step

Which example is relevant to you?

The right example depends on your diagnosis, your goals and what a prescriber judges suitable, not on which brand is most talked about. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are both once-weekly injections, while liraglutide is a daily injection.

If you are weighing up tirzepatide, the Mounjaro pen is available after a free online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber. If you prefer semaglutide, the Wegovy pen starts with a first pen at £99.99 on a first order. You can see the full picture on our weight loss clinic page.

Related guide: What are examples of glp 1 medications.

03 · How they work

How GLP-1 agonists work

GLP-1 agonists mimic a natural gut hormone, and the specific medicines differ mainly in what else they target. Tirzepatide is the first treatment of its kind to activate two natural gut-hormone receptors at once: GIP and GLP-1. Together these help regulate appetite, slow how quickly the stomach empties, and improve the way the body responds to insulin.¹

In practice, most people feel fuller sooner and less hungry between meals, which supports a reduced-calorie diet.¹ This dual action is what distinguishes Mounjaro from single-action GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic).¹ For the mechanism in more depth, see our GLP-1 receptor agonist explainer.

04 · Is Mounjaro a GLP-1 agonist?

Is Mounjaro a GLP-1 agonist?

Yes, Mounjaro is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, and it also activates the GIP receptor. Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine made by Eli Lilly.¹ Many writers call it a dual agonist for that reason.

Ozempic is also a GLP-1 agonist: it is a brand of semaglutide, which acts on the GLP-1 receptor alone. Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes. It is not a UK weight-loss medicine, and a regulated UK pharmacy will not supply Ozempic for weight loss. Wegovy is another semaglutide brand. Liraglutide products such as Saxenda and Erly sit in the same family but are given daily.

05 · Agonist or antagonist?

Agonists, antagonists and 'inhibitors'

If you have seen GLP-1 medicines described as inhibitors, see examples of GLP-1 inhibitors. Related terms such as GLP-1 analogues and GLP-1 mimetics also describe agonists, just with different vocabulary.

06 · What the evidence shows

What the evidence shows for tirzepatide

The headline tirzepatide result comes from SURMOUNT-1. In the SURMOUNT-1 trial of 2,539 adults, people taking tirzepatide alongside diet and exercise lost on average 15% of their body weight on 5mg, 19.5% on 10mg and 20.9% on 15mg over 72 weeks, compared with 3.1% with lifestyle changes alone.²

These are trial averages — individual results vary, and treatment works alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, not instead of them.²

07 · Pills and 'natural' options

Pills, supplements and 'natural Ozempic'

No over-the-counter pill or supplement is a GLP-1 agonist. Products sold as 'natural Ozempic' are low-cost supplements with no clinical oversight, their dosing is not standardised, and they do not carry the licensed evidence behind GLP-1 medicines. Dramatic weight-loss claims on such products should be treated with suspicion.

Genuine GLP-1 tablets exist, including Wegovy tablets and Foundayo, but they are prescription-only like the injections. Anyone offering to supply a GLP-1 medicine without a consultation or prescription is a warning sign.⁷ Report suspected side effects through the Yellow Card scheme.¹⁹

08 · NHS access

NHS access to these medicines

Mounjaro is available on the NHS, but access is being phased in over several years. NICE recommends it for adults with a BMI of at least 35 plus at least one weight-related condition, and the NHS primary-care rollout began in June 2025 with the highest-need groups first (initially BMI 40+ with four or more qualifying conditions).⁴⁶

Full rollout is expected to take years, which is why many people who meet the licensed criteria choose regulated private treatment rather than waiting. NHS access to Wegovy runs through specialist weight-management services; ask your GP.