How Many Types of GLP-1 Are There? UK Guide (October 2026)

01 · The core answer

What types of GLP-1 are there?

The clearest way to count GLP-1 medicines is by active ingredient, because one ingredient can be sold under several brand names. In the UK weight-management picture you will meet semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide as injections, plus tablet options such as oral semaglutide and orforglipron. Our guide to what the types of GLP-1 drugs are goes further into each group.

Tirzepatide is strictly a dual GIP and GLP-1 medicine, but it is usually discussed alongside the GLP-1 group because it activates the GLP-1 receptor.¹ Ozempic is semaglutide 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. The tablet products are described in their own product information.²⁰²¹

02 · Are they identical?

Are all GLP-1 drugs the same?

No, GLP-1 drugs are not the same. They share a family resemblance, but the differences matter when you choose between them. Our page on whether all GLP-1 drugs are the same and the shorter are all GLP-1 the same explainer cover this in detail.

• Active ingredient: semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide and orforglipron are different molecules.
• Route: some are injected under the skin, others are swallowed as tablets.
• Frequency: liraglutide is a daily injection, whereas Mounjaro and Wegovy are once weekly.
• Receptors: tirzepatide acts on GIP and GLP-1; the others act on GLP-1 alone.
• Licence: each product is licensed for particular uses, and the licence decides who can be prescribed it.

Because of these differences, trial results for one medicine cannot be placed beside another's as though they were a head-to-head test. Individual response also varies within every type.

03 · Your decision

Which type is relevant to you?

The type that suits you depends on your health history, your goals and how you tolerate side effects, not on which brand is most famous. A prescriber weighs these up. If you are exploring weekly injections, you can read about the Mounjaro pen, which starts at £169.99 for the 2.5mg pen, or about the Wegovy pen. A new customer's first 2.5mg Mounjaro pen costs £129.99 with code FIRST40, and all doses are in stock. Our weight loss clinic explains how the free consultation works.

04 · Injectable or tablet

Are all GLP-1 medicines injectable?

No, not all GLP-1 medicines are injectable. Injections remain the most established form, but tablet versions now exist. Wegovy tablets contain oral semaglutide, and Foundayo contains orforglipron, a small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist taken by mouth.²⁰²¹²³

Our page on whether oral GLP-1 medicines exist explains the current position. Tablet medicines have their own dosing instructions and their own product information, so they should be read separately from the injections.

Tablet trial results should not be set against Mounjaro's as if they were tested head to head. Each study had its own participants and design. The practical question is which form you are likely to take consistently, under the guidance of your prescriber.

Some people prefer a tablet because they dislike needles. Others like the simplicity of a single weekly injection, since there is nothing to remember on the other days. Neither preference is wrong, and the choice is a conversation to have in consultation.

05 · Weekly or daily dosing

How do dosing schedules differ?

Dosing schedules differ mainly in frequency and in how slowly the dose is raised. Mounjaro is a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine made by Eli Lilly, and it comes as a pre-filled multi-dose pen (KwikPen) in six strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg.¹

Everyone starts Mounjaro on 2.5mg once a week. This starting dose is about letting your body adjust, not about weight loss itself. After at least 4 weeks the dose increases to 5mg, and can then step up by 2.5mg at a minimum of 4-week intervals (7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg) up to a maximum of 15mg weekly, depending on how you respond and tolerate it.¹

Wegovy follows a different ladder: pens are 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, and the 2.4mg maintenance dose starts from week 17.

Liraglutide, sold as Saxenda and in products such as Erly, is supplied at 6mg/ml and is a daily injection, unlike once-weekly Mounjaro and Wegovy.¹⁸ For a wider view, see our guide to what types of weight loss injection there are.

Many people prefer a weekly schedule because it means fewer injections to remember. Whatever the schedule, you should follow the pen's own instructions and your prescriber's plan.

06 · Dual versus single action

Is Mounjaro a GLP-1 agonist?

Mounjaro is a GLP-1 receptor agonist and also a GIP agonist, which is why it is described as dual action. 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. This dual action is what distinguishes Mounjaro from single-action GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic).¹

The SURMOUNT-1 trial is the main efficacy study for this medicine. 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

If you want the full picture of the family, read about different types of GLP-1 drugs.

07 · Which is best?

Which GLP-1 is considered the best?

No GLP-1 is best for everyone, and anyone naming one winner without knowing your health history is overselling. The right medicine depends on licensing, your medical background, your tolerance of side effects and how easily you can stick to the schedule.

• Which products are licensed for your situation? Licences cover specific uses, such as weight management in adults.
• Which form will you actually keep taking? A tablet, a daily injection or a weekly injection each suit different routines.
• How did you tolerate earlier treatment? Past reactions guide the next choice.
• What else do you take? Some medicines need their doses reviewed alongside a GLP-1.
• What is available and affordable? Cost and supply are real considerations.

A GPhC-registered prescriber reviews your answers in the free consultation, and that review is the safest way to match a medicine to you.

08 · Safety and who should avoid

How safe are GLP-1 medicines, and who should avoid them?

GLP-1 medicines are licensed prescription treatments, and their safety is assessed on an individual basis, which is why they are supplied only after a prescriber review. Who should avoid a particular product is listed in its patient information leaflet and summary of product characteristics, and a prescriber checks these against your history.¹³ For Mounjaro, 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. 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.

Mild nausea, altered appetite and tiredness in the first days after each injection are the commonest early effects of Mounjaro, and they usually settle.¹ That is the main downside many people notice early on. Side effects differ between medicines and between people, so there is no honest way to name the type with the fewest.

Mounjaro slows stomach emptying, which can reduce how well oral contraceptive pills are absorbed, so ask your prescriber about contraception.⁷ 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 If you take insulin or sulfonylureas, doses may need adjusting because of the risk of low blood sugar; that is a conversation for your prescriber, not a reason to stop anything yourself.

Tell your prescriber about any new symptom, and report suspected side effects through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.¹⁹ If you become pregnant during treatment, stop the medicine and tell your prescriber promptly. Mounjaro must not be used during pregnancy, and it should be stopped at least one month before trying to conceive. Never take a GLP-1 medicine from a seller offering to supply without a consultation or prescription.

09 · NHS access

Can you get GLP-1 medicines on the NHS?

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.

For Mounjaro, a first-order discount of £40 applies with code FIRST40, and an automatic £25 reorder discount applies to every future order (code DOSE25). Prices were last checked 10 October 2026. Orders are supplied through official LillyDirect supply after a free online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber, with free next-day tracked delivery.

10 · Choosing what to do

What should you do next?

The sensible next step is to decide which questions matter to you and take them to a prescriber. You do not need to memorise every brand name to make a good choice.

Start with your own situation: your weight-related health concerns, your past experience with medicines, and how you feel about needles. Then consider the schedule you could keep up with. A weekly injection is simple for some people, whereas others like the idea of a daily routine or a tablet.

When you are ready, the free online consultation is a short health questionnaire with no charge and no obligation. A GPhC-registered prescriber reviews it; payment is taken when you place the order, and if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full. EverydayMeds is a GPhC-registered pharmacy (registration 9012878), and monthly reviews, dose titration and follow-up are part of the aftercare.

Treatment works alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Weight loss on Mounjaro is gradual by design, so think in months, not days, and judge progress by trend.¹ Our related page on GLP-1 different types is a useful companion read.

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