GLP-1 Examples: Every Injection and Tablet Explained (October 2026)

01 · The short list

The main GLP-1 examples at a glance

Brand names change what you see on the box, but the active ingredient is what determines how the medicine behaves.

Mounjaro is the only example here that acts on two hormone receptors. Tirzepatide is the first treatment of its kind to activate two natural gut-hormone receptors at once: GIP and GLP-1.¹ That dual action is what distinguishes it from single-action GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide.¹

02 · Next step

Which GLP-1 example is relevant to you?

For most adults researching weight management, the relevant examples are Mounjaro, Wegovy, Wegovy tablets and Foundayo. Ozempic and liraglutide sit on the list because people ask about them, but licensing and suitability differ by brand, so your prescriber should decide which one fits.

Two practical questions narrow the choice quickly. Do you prefer a weekly injection or a daily tablet? And do your health, other medicines and routine suit that option? A prescriber will check which option is suitable for your health, your other medicines and your routine.²⁰

If you are leaning towards an injection, you can see the Mounjaro pen and its current prices. Your first 2.5mg pen costs £129.99 with code FIRST40 (standard price £169.99). The consultation is free and reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber. Our weight loss clinic explains the full pathway, and our Mounjaro examples page shows how treatment looks in practice.

03 · Weekly injections

Weekly GLP-1 injections: Mounjaro and Wegovy

The weekly pen injections are the best-known GLP-1 examples, and Mounjaro and Wegovy are the two licensed for weight management. Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine made by Eli Lilly.¹ In the UK it is licensed for weight management in adults and for type 2 diabetes.¹ It comes as a pre-filled multi-dose pen (KwikPen) in six strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg.¹

Wegovy contains semaglutide and is given as a weekly pen too. The 2.4mg dose is the licensed maintenance dose for weight management.¹⁸ You can read about the Wegovy pen on its product page.

Ozempic also contains semaglutide, but it is licensed for type 2 diabetes — it is not a UK weight-loss medicine, and prescribing it privately for weight loss is off-label. Check the product information and ask your prescriber which brand is appropriate rather than assuming brands are swappable.

For Mounjaro, the SURMOUNT-1 trial of 2,539 adults found that 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, and individual results vary.²

SURMOUNT-5, the first large head-to-head trial, compared tirzepatide directly with injected semaglutide. Results from separate trials of other medicines should not be placed side by side as if they were head to head.¹⁵

04 · Daily injections

Daily injections: liraglutide

Liraglutide is the main daily-injection GLP-1 example, sold as Saxenda and in products such as Erly. It is supplied at a concentration of 6mg/ml, and unlike Mounjaro and Wegovy it is injected every day rather than once weekly.

That daily rhythm is the practical trade-off. A weekly pen suits people who want to think about treatment once a week, while a daily pen means a daily routine and more frequent injections. Your prescriber can advise how liraglutide compares for your situation.

Our pages on GLP-1 analogues examples and GLP-1 mimetic examples explain how those terms overlap.

05 · GLP-1 tablets

Oral GLP-1 examples: Wegovy tablets and Foundayo

Two GLP-1 weight-loss tablets are now licensed in the UK: Wegovy tablets (oral semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk), approved by the MHRA in June 2026, and Foundayo (orforglipron, made by Eli Lilly), approved in August 2026.²⁰ They are different medicines from Mounjaro, with their own dosing, eligibility checks and trial results, and both are prescription-only.

Wegovy tablets

Wegovy tablets contain semaglutide, the same active ingredient as the Wegovy injection, taken as one tablet once a day.²⁰ The routine is strict: the tablet must be taken on an empty stomach after fasting for at least 8 hours, swallowed whole with a sip of water (up to half a glass, about 120ml), and you then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other tablets.²⁰ In the OASIS 4 trial, adults taking semaglutide 25mg tablets for 64 weeks lost on average 13.6% of their body weight, compared with 2.2% on placebo.²² See the Wegovy pill page for current prices.

Foundayo

Foundayo contains orforglipron, a once-daily GLP-1 tablet made by Eli Lilly, the maker of Mounjaro.²¹ Unlike Wegovy tablets it can be taken at any time of day, with or without food and without water restrictions; the tablet is swallowed whole.²¹ In the ATTAIN-1 trial of 3,127 adults without type 2 diabetes, people taking the highest dose of orforglipron for 72 weeks lost on average 12.4% of their body weight, compared with 0.9% on placebo; the two lower doses gave 7.8% and 9.3%.²³ Foundayo may make oral contraceptive pills less effective: switch to a non-oral method or add a barrier method for 30 days after starting and for 30 days after each dose increase.²¹ Details are on the Foundayo product page.

There is no tablet form of Mounjaro — tirzepatide is injection-only in the UK.¹ No trial has compared Mounjaro directly with either tablet, so results from separate trials should not be set against each other as if they were head to head.

06 · Agonist or analogue

Agonist, analogue, mimetic: do the terms matter?

For everyday purposes the terms mean much the same thing: a medicine that acts on the GLP-1 receptor in the way the natural hormone does.

What matters more is the mechanism. Tirzepatide's activation of GIP and GLP-1 receptors together helps 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

If you want vocabulary guides, our pages on GLP-1 agonist examples and examples of GLP-1 inhibitors cover the naming confusion. The broader list is in what are examples of GLP-1 medications.

07 · Natural GLP-1 boosters

Natural GLP-1 boosters and supplements

No supplement is a GLP-1 example in the medical sense. 'Natural GLP-1' supplements (such as berberine) are not medicines, are not regulated for this use and have no comparable trial evidence.

Berberine is often marketed with dramatic weight-loss claims. It is a low-cost supplement with no clinical oversight, and dosing is not standardised.

Your body already makes GLP-1 naturally, and eating patterns can influence gut hormones in general. But no food or supplement has been shown to replace a licensed medicine. If you want an appetite aid with real evidence, the route is a prescriber consultation rather than a shop shelf. There are no non-prescription GLP-1 pills in the UK: the licensed tablets are prescription-only.

Be wary of anyone offering to supply a GLP-1 medicine without a consultation or prescription. Check that a pharmacy appears on the GPhC register; ours is GPhC 9012878.¹²

08 · Safety and expectations

Safety and what to expect from GLP-1 medicines

The most common effects of these medicines are digestive. For Wegovy tablets, the most common side effects are digestive — nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion and stomach pain — along with headache and tiredness; gallstones and hair loss are listed as common.²² Foundayo's most common side effects are digestive too — nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, indigestion and stomach pain.²³

These medicines are used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. They support that effort rather than replace it, and individual results vary.²

If you have type 2 diabetes, treatment and monitoring are coordinated differently, so tell your prescriber and your usual diabetes team so care stays joined up.⁸ If you notice a new symptom, tell your prescriber and report it through the Yellow Card scheme. If you have severe, persistent stomach pain, chest pain, swelling of the face, lips or throat, or difficulty breathing, get medical help straight away.¹⁹

09 · 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

10 · NHS access

Can you get these GLP-1 examples on the NHS?

Mounjaro is available on the NHS, but access is being phased in over several years.⁴ 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).⁶ 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. For other examples, your GP can tell you what is currently commissioned in your area.

If you prefer the private route, our service starts with a free online consultation, followed by a review from a GPhC-registered prescriber. Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full. Delivery is free next-day tracked, in temperature-controlled packaging, and our monthly clinical reviews are included.