GLP-1 Analogues Examples: The UK Guide (October 2026)

01 · The short answer

GLP-1 analogue examples at a glance

The licensed GLP-1 medicines you are most likely to meet in the UK are tirzepatide, semaglutide and liraglutide. They differ in brand, dosing frequency, and whether they act on one gut-hormone receptor or two.

Our other pages cover specific lists in more depth: more GLP-1 examples, GLP-1 agonist names and which medications are in the class.

02 · Your decision

Is a GLP-1 medicine relevant to you?

A GLP-1 medicine may be relevant if you are an adult looking at medical help with weight, or if you have type 2 diabetes and your prescriber is reviewing treatment. These are prescription-only medicines, so the choice is made with a clinician, not from a list. Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine made by Eli Lilly. In the UK it is licensed for weight management in adults and for type 2 diabetes.¹

Eligibility for NHS treatment is narrower than the licence. 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.

03 · Next step

What to do next

If you want to look into treatment, the practical route is a free online consultation. A GPhC-registered prescriber reviews your answers, and if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full. If you are weighing cost, the Mounjaro pen page shows live prices. The standard price of the 2.5mg starter pen is £169.99 per month. A new customer's first 2.5mg pen costs £129.99 with code FIRST40, and every later order is £25 off the standard price.

If you prefer to compare the semaglutide route, the Wegovy pen page carries current details. For the wider picture of what a clinic-led programme involves, see our weight loss clinic overview. Whichever medicine you consider, it is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, and individual results vary.²

04 · What analogue means

What a GLP-1 analogue actually is

A GLP-1 analogue is a medicine designed to act on the GLP-1 receptor, part of the gut-hormone system that helps regulate appetite and blood sugar. The terms 'analogue', 'agonist' and 'receptor agonist' are used loosely and often interchangeably, both in clinical papers and on patient websites.

The distinction that matters to patients is practical, not semantic. Some medicines in the group act on the GLP-1 receptor alone. Tirzepatide is different: it is the first treatment of its kind to activate two natural gut-hormone receptors at once: GIP and GLP-1.¹ That is why you will sometimes see it described as a dual agonist rather than a pure GLP-1 analogue, even though it clearly acts on the GLP-1 receptor too.

So, is Mounjaro a GLP-1 agonist? Yes, it activates the GLP-1 receptor, but it does more than that. Together these actions help regulate appetite, slow how quickly the stomach empties, and improve the way the body responds to insulin. In practice, most people feel fuller sooner and less hungry between meals, which supports a reduced-calorie diet.¹

Why the group matters to patients

Medicines in this group share a broad pattern. They are prescription-only, they are given by injection or, increasingly, as tablets, and they are meant to be used with diet and activity changes rather than instead of them. They are not interchangeable, though.

You may also see the phrase 'GLP-1 analogues' used for diabetes treatments. Our page on GLP-1 analogues in diabetes covers that context, and the page on the mechanism of action goes further into how the receptor pathway works.

What is not a GLP-1 analogue

Dietary supplements sold with phrases like 'natural GLP-1' or 'nature's Ozempic' are not GLP-1 analogues. They are low-cost supplements with no clinical oversight, and their dosing is not standardised. If a seller offers any of the medicines named here without a consultation or prescription, that is a warning sign, not a bargain.

How to read a list of examples

When a page lists examples, check three things: whether each product is licensed in the UK, whether it is a prescription medicine, and whether the page is describing a brand name or the underlying active ingredient. Brand names such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic sit on top of ingredients such as tirzepatide and semaglutide. Using both names together avoids confusion when you speak to a pharmacist or prescriber, and it helps you spot when two brands contain the same ingredient.

05 · Tirzepatide: Mounjaro

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) in detail

Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in Mounjaro. Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine made by Eli Lilly. It comes as a pre-filled multi-dose pen (KwikPen) in six strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg.¹

The mechanism is the defining feature. 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. This dual action is what distinguishes Mounjaro from single-action GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic).¹

Strengths and scaling

The standard prices are £169.99 for 2.5mg, £218.99 for 5mg, £279.99 for 7.5mg, £290.99 for 10mg, £319.99 for 12.5mg and £329.99 for 15mg, each per month. All doses are in stock.

If you step up after 4 weeks on each dose, your first four pens (2.5mg to 10mg) cost £959.96 at standard prices. A first year costs £2,711.88 if you settle at 5mg, up to £3,599.88 at 15mg. These totals are before discounts: a new customer's first order is £40 less and every later order £25 less. You can see live figures on the Mounjaro pen page.

Stopping and clearance

Tirzepatide has a half-life of about five days, so after a final dose it takes roughly four to five weeks to clear the system. There is no way to speed this up, and nothing needs doing while it clears.¹ This is useful to know if you are planning around a procedure or a change of treatment: talk to your prescriber rather than guessing.

Storage in brief

Unopened pens are stored in the fridge until first use, at 2–8°C, and they keep until the printed expiry date. Once in use, a KwikPen can be kept out of the fridge at a temperature not above 30°C for up to 30 days after first use, and must then be thrown away. For anything beyond that, such as an unopened pen that has been left out, check the patient information leaflet and speak to the pharmacy.¹³

Where it sits among examples

Tirzepatide is the newest of the three headline injectable examples, and the one with a dual mechanism. That does not make it the right choice for everyone. Your health history, other medicines, previous treatment and preferences all feed into what a prescriber recommends. Our supply comes through official LillyDirect channels, meaning genuine KwikPens sourced from Eli Lilly's UK distribution, which matters because counterfeit pens are a real concern with this class of medicine.⁷

06 · Semaglutide: Wegovy, Ozempic

Semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic)

Semaglutide is the second major example of a GLP-1 medicine, sold under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic. Like Mounjaro, it is a once-weekly injection, and it is prescription-only.

The Wegovy dose ladder

Wegovy pens come at 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg once weekly. The dose steps up after 4 weeks on each of 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg and 1.7mg, so the 2.4mg maintenance dose starts from week 17. The 2.4mg dose is the licensed maintenance dose for weight management.¹⁸

If you are weighing the two directly, the key point is that they are different medicines with different ladders. You cannot map a Mounjaro strength onto a Wegovy strength by number. Any switch must be planned by a prescriber, not worked out by the patient from a conversion chart. Our Wegovy pen page shows the current first-pen price, and the first-order price of the starting pen is £99.99.

Ozempic versus Wegovy

Ozempic is semaglutide licensed for type 2 diabetes; it is not a UK weight-loss medicine, and prescribing it privately for weight loss is off-label. The licensed weight-management options are Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4mg). Ask your prescriber which product is appropriate for your situation rather than choosing by brand familiarity.

How the evidence is framed

Semaglutide has its own major trials, including STEP 1 for weight management, and a head-to-head trial against tirzepatide, SURMOUNT-5.⁹¹⁵ Only a head-to-head trial can compare two medicines fairly. Setting the headline numbers from separate trials side by side is misleading, because the populations, designs and durations differ.

Choosing between the two

The honest answer is that both are effective licensed treatments, and individual response varies. Factors that commonly shape the choice include how you tolerate side effects, how a titration schedule fits your life, and what your prescriber considers appropriate given your health history. Our GLP-1 medication examples page sets the products side by side in more detail. A good consultation will cover these factors and give you a recommendation you can question.

Price context

Across the UK pharmacies we track, Mounjaro pens range from £143.96 to £339.00 per month depending on dose and provider, as checked 10 October 2026.

07 · Liraglutide: daily option

Liraglutide: the daily injection example

Liraglutide is the third injectable example, and the main difference from the others is how often you inject. Liraglutide, including Saxenda and products such as Erly, is a daily injection, unlike once-weekly Mounjaro and Wegovy. It is supplied at a concentration of 6mg per millilitre.

That daily rhythm shapes how people experience treatment. A weekly pen asks you to remember one injection day, while a daily product becomes part of the daily routine. Neither preference is wrong, and it is worth raising during your consultation.

The concentration detail

The 6mg per millilitre figure is a concentration, not a dose. This is a common point of confusion. A concentration tells you how much medicine is dissolved in each millilitre of liquid, while the dose you inject is set by your prescriber and the pen's instructions. Never use the concentration as if it were your daily dose, and always follow the pen's instructions and your prescriber's guidance.

Where liraglutide fits

Liraglutide is an established member of the group, and for some people a daily pen is entirely appropriate. If you are reviewing which example might suit you, consider the following questions with your prescriber:

• Would a daily or weekly schedule suit my routine better?
• Have I used a GLP-1 medicine before, and how did I tolerate it?
• Do I take other medicines that could interact?
• What does the cost look like over a full year?

Our page on long-acting GLP-1 analogues explains why weekly products are described as long-acting and how that compares with daily dosing. If you are comparing the weekly options, the Mounjaro and Wegovy pages carry the current product details.

A note on supply

As with every prescription medicine, buy liraglutide only from a regulated pharmacy. A GPhC registration can be checked on the public register, and ours is 9012878.¹² A seller offering to supply without a consultation or prescription should be avoided, whatever the product.

08 · Tablets and newer options

Tablets and newer GLP-1 options

Not every GLP-1 medicine is an injection now. Wegovy tablets (oral semaglutide) and Foundayo (orforglipron) are tablet-form examples, each with its own summary of product characteristics.²⁰²¹ For some people, a tablet is more appealing than a weekly needle, which is part of why the group's range has widened.

Trials such as OASIS 4 for oral semaglutide and ATTAIN-1 for orforglipron exist and are published, but they are separate studies in separate populations.²²²³ Reading one trial's result against another's is the kind of shortcut that produces headline claims with little meaning.

Injection versus tablet: how to think about it

The choice is not purely about efficacy. It is about how you will actually take the medicine, month after month. Consider the following:

• Routine: a weekly pen is one scheduled event, while a tablet fits into daily habits.
• Comfort: some people are uneasy about needles, and others find the pen trivial.
• Instructions: each product has its own rules about how and when it is taken, set out in its leaflet.

Needles, a sharps bin and injection guidance are included with every injectable order, which helps people who are anxious about starting.

Medicines in development

The pipeline of GLP-1 medicines is active, but anything unlicensed in the UK is not something you can be prescribed here. Be wary of any seller offering unlicensed products that claim to be a new version of the licensed medicines. If a product is not on the UK's regulated market, a regulated pharmacy cannot supply it, and a seller that does is operating outside the safeguards that protect you.

How to keep up

For the wider list, the GLP-1 agonist examples page is a good companion. Your prescriber is the final source for what is appropriate for you right now.

09 · What the evidence shows

What the trial evidence shows for Mounjaro

The best-known trial for Mounjaro in weight management is 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. At 72 weeks, 85% of participants on 5mg, 89% on 10mg and 91% on 15mg had lost at least 5% of their body weight. Half of participants on 10mg and 57% on 15mg lost at least 20% of their body weight.²

Putting the percentage in context

For someone starting at 100 kg, 20.9% is about 21 kg. That worked example is simple arithmetic on a trial average, and it is not a prediction. Trial averages do not predict your own result.

Comparing medicines fairly

Only SURMOUNT-5 supports a direct tirzepatide-versus-semaglutide comparison, because it compared the two medicines within a single trial.¹⁵ STEP 1 is the major semaglutide weight-management trial, but it is a separate study.⁹ Never set the numbers from two separate trials side by side as though they came from the same experiment. Different participants, different designs and different durations make such comparisons unreliable.

Beyond headline weight loss

Researchers have studied tirzepatide in other settings too, including maintaining weight reduction in SURMOUNT-4 and sleep apnoea alongside obesity in SURMOUNT-OSA.¹⁴¹⁶ If those topics apply to you, discuss them with your prescriber and read the published papers.

What the evidence means for choosing an example

Evidence is a guide, not a promise. A trial shows what happened on average to a group of people under study conditions. Your result will depend on your starting point, your dose, how you tolerate treatment, and how closely you can follow the diet and activity changes alongside it. Your prescriber will help you weigh the evidence against your own circumstances and preferences.

For the diabetes side, trials such as SURPASS-2 compared tirzepatide with semaglutide in people with diabetes, and our diabetes-focused guide goes into that context.³

10 · Safety and who should avoid

Safety, interactions and who should avoid GLP-1 medicines

Mounjaro is not suitable for everyone: you should not take it if you are allergic to tirzepatide or any of its ingredients, and it should not be used during pregnancy or while trying to conceive. Mounjaro should be stopped at least one month before trying to conceive; if you become pregnant during treatment, stop the medicine and tell your prescriber promptly. Your prescriber will take extra care, or may recommend against treatment, if you have a history of pancreatitis, severe gut or digestive disease, diabetic retinopathy, or gallbladder problems. That is why every order starts with a consultation. At EverydayMeds, your answers are reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber, and unsuitable orders are refunded automatically in full. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a prescription-only medicine, supplied only after an online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber. It is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Individual results vary.

Medicines that need care

Two interaction points are worth knowing. First, Mounjaro slows stomach emptying, which can reduce how well oral contraceptive pills are absorbed. The SmPC advises switching to a non-oral method, or adding a barrier method (such as condoms), for 4 weeks after starting Mounjaro and for 4 weeks after each dose increase.¹ The MHRA has published guidance on contraception with GLP-1/GIP medicines, so ask your prescriber what applies to you.⁷ Second, if you take insulin or sulfonylureas, doses may need adjusting because of the risk of low blood sugar. That does not mean the medicines can never be used together, only that your prescriber should manage the doses.¹¹ Always list every medicine and supplement you take in your consultation.

Side effects and reporting

Like all medicines, Mounjaro can cause side effects, and most are digestive: the most common, affecting more than 1 in 10 people, are nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation and abdominal discomfort.¹³ If you notice a new symptom, discuss it with your prescriber, and report suspected side effects through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.¹⁹ Regulators have looked specifically at whether GLP-1 medicines are linked to low mood or suicidal thoughts: the EMA's safety committee reviewed the evidence and concluded in 2024 that it does not support a causal link, and the MHRA keeps this under continuous review.¹⁷ If you have concerns about your mood during treatment, tell your prescriber and seek help promptly.

If you have thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life, get help straight away. Call 999 or go to A&E if you are in immediate danger. In England you can call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, any time. You can also call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night. Tell your prescriber about any change in your mood while taking Mounjaro.

Smell, 'Ozempic breasts' and 'Ozempic teeth'

Body odour, changes in breast appearance and dental problems are not on the full list of side effects in the UK Mounjaro patient leaflet. If you notice any of them, raise it with your prescriber or dentist, since many ordinary causes exist, and report suspected effects via Yellow Card. Do not rely on social-media claims in place of the product information.

Counterfeit risk

Counterfeit and unregulated products are a real hazard with popular injectable medicines, and the MHRA publishes counterfeit alerts.⁷ Check that a pharmacy appears on the GPhC register, and be wary of any seller offering to supply without a consultation or prescription. We supply genuine KwikPens through official LillyDirect supply, with free next-day tracked delivery in temperature-controlled packaging.

Do not adjust doses yourself

Dosing should follow the pen's instructions and your prescriber's plan, and our team provides ongoing monthly reviews, dose titration and side-effect support.

11 · Serious side effects

Serious side effects: when to get help straight away

Serious side effects are uncommon but need urgent attention. Seek immediate medical help for: severe, persistent stomach pain that may spread to your back, with or without vomiting (possible pancreatitis); pain in the upper right abdomen, fever or yellowing of skin/eyes (possible gallbladder problems); or signs of a severe allergic reaction such as swelling of the face or throat and difficulty breathing. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea alongside Mounjaro, watch for low blood sugar (shakiness, sweating, confusion) — your prescriber may need to adjust those medicines.¹

12 · NHS, private and cost

NHS versus private access and what it costs

Getting a GLP-1 medicine in the UK can happen through the NHS or privately, and the right route depends on your eligibility and how long you are willing to wait. 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). Full rollout is expected to take years, which is why many people who meet the licensed criteria choose regulated private treatment rather than waiting.⁴⁵⁶

For Wegovy, NHS access runs through specialist weight-management services; ask your GP. If you are on an NHS pathway and receive a prescription, the NHS prescription charge in England is £9.90 per item, where it applies.

Comparing prices across providers

Prices depend on the medicine, the dose and the provider. For Mounjaro, the across-the-board range among the UK pharmacies we track is £143.96 to £339.00 per month, as checked 10 October 2026. Starting 2.5mg pens range from £143.96 to £179.99, and the gap between providers for the same dose ranges from £27 to £41. Boots' Mounjaro dose prices run from £179.00 to £339.00.

Pharmacy sell prices vary because of confidential discounts.

Planning a year

For budgeting, a first year at standard prices costs £2,711.88 if you settle at 5mg, up to £3,599.88 at 15mg, before discounts. For other maintenance doses use the monthly price: £279.99 at 7.5mg, £290.99 at 10mg and £319.99 at 12.5mg.

How ordering works

Ordering has a short journey: a free online consultation, a prescriber review, then dispensing and dispatch. Same-day dispatch applies when ordered by 3pm, and delivery is free next-day tracked, with Saturday delivery at £14.99. The consultation is free, and the price shown is the price paid. You can pay by Visa, Mastercard, Klarna or pay-monthly options, and there are no subscriptions. Repeat orders re-check suitability, and nothing ships automatically.