What Are the Names of GLP-1 Medications? UK Guide (October 2026)

01 · The short answer

The names of GLP-1 medications in the UK

GLP-1 medicines are sold under brand names, and each brand contains a generic active ingredient.

Other GLP-1 medicines exist, mostly older and aimed at diabetes. Your prescriber or pharmacist can tell you where a name you have been given fits in.

02 · Deciding

Which of these names is relevant to you?

Mounjaro and Wegovy are both once-weekly pens with a clear dose ladder, and a prescriber decides which suits you. Liraglutide products are daily injections, which some people find less convenient. Tablets suit people who would rather not inject, though they have their own product information and should be read separately.

Mounjaro is licensed for weight management in adults and for type 2 diabetes, and it is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Individual results vary, and a GPhC-registered prescriber decides whether any of these medicines is suitable after reviewing your health questionnaire.¹

If you are weighing Mounjaro specifically, you can read the Mounjaro pen prices and consultation page. Your first 2.5mg pen costs £129.99 with code FIRST40 (standard price £169.99), and every later order is £25 off the standard price.

03 · Next step

What to do next

Start by deciding whether you want an injection or a tablet, and whether weekly or daily dosing suits your routine. Then speak to a prescriber rather than choosing by name alone: the right option depends on your health, other medicines and goals.

Our free online consultation is a short health questionnaire with no charge and no obligation. Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full. Our weight loss clinic explains the pathway in more detail.

One caution applies whatever the name: be wary of anyone offering to supply any of these medicines without a consultation or prescription. Genuine supply matters, which is why our Mounjaro comes through official LillyDirect supply direct from Eli Lilly's UK distribution.⁷

04 · What GLP-1 means

What does GLP-1 actually mean?

GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, a natural gut hormone. GLP-1 medications copy or mimic its action, which is why they are called GLP-1 receptor agonists. An agonist is simply a medicine that switches a receptor on.

The hormone is released after eating and helps regulate appetite and blood sugar. The medicines are designed to act in a similar way for longer. That is why they are used in diabetes care and, at licensed doses, in weight management alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

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. In practice, most people feel fuller sooner and less hungry between meals, which supports a reduced-calorie diet.¹

That dual action is what distinguishes Mounjaro from single-action GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic).¹ So, strictly, Mounjaro is a dual GIP and GLP-1 agonist. In everyday speech it is still grouped with GLP-1 medications.

The class has a shared set of features. Mounjaro slows stomach emptying, which is why it can change how quickly some oral medicines are absorbed, particularly when you start treatment or increase the dose. Our guide to GLP-1 medication side effects goes through this in detail.

Generic names are worth learning because they stay constant when brands change. Tirzepatide, semaglutide and liraglutide are the generic names behind the UK brands you will see most often. If a prescriber, label or website uses a generic name, you can match it to the table.

Names also tell you something practical. Two brands can share one active ingredient, as Wegovy and Ozempic do with semaglutide, but they are separate products with their own dose ladders and licences. Never swap one for another yourself; any change should come from a prescriber who knows your history.

Finally, the class label is a description of the mechanism, not a promise of results. Trial averages do not predict your own result, and treatment works alongside lifestyle changes rather than replacing them.

05 · Weekly injections

Once-weekly injections: Mounjaro and Wegovy

Mounjaro and Wegovy are the two once-weekly pen injections most UK adults compare for weight management. They contain different active ingredients, tirzepatide and semaglutide respectively, and each has its own licensed dose ladder.

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. It comes as a pre-filled multi-dose pen (KwikPen) in six strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg.¹

Mounjaro treatment begins at 2.5mg and, after at least 4 weeks, steps up depending on how you respond and tolerate it, under prescriber guidance. 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 new customer's first order is £40 less, and every later order is £25 less. A first year costs £2,711.88 if you stay on 5mg after your 2.5mg starting pen, up to £3,599.88 if you step up through every dose to 15mg, again before discounts.

Wegovy follows a different ladder. Its pens are 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg once weekly. The dose steps up after at least 4 weeks on each of 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg and 1.7mg, so the 2.4mg maintenance dose starts from week 17, and 2.4mg is the licensed maintenance dose for weight management.¹⁸ You can see the Wegovy pen page for current availability and the first-order price.

Do not read the different numbers on each ladder as a like-for-like comparison. Milligram strengths belong to different molecules and cannot be matched across brands. Only a prescriber should choose the starting point and any changes.

Ozempic also contains semaglutide and is injected weekly. Ozempic is semaglutide licensed for type 2 diabetes; it is not a UK weight-loss medicine, and a regulated UK pharmacy will not supply it for weight loss.

Day-to-day, the pens are easy to describe. They are pre-filled, multi-dose and designed for self-injection, and needles, a sharps bin and injection guidance come with every order from us. Follow the instructions supplied with the pen, and ask our team if anything is unclear.

For storage, keep unopened pens in the fridge at 2–8°C until first use. Once in use, a KwikPen can be kept out of the fridge at a temperature not above 30°C for up to 30 days, and must then be thrown away; do not use a pen that has been above 30°C or frozen. For anything else about storage, check the patient information leaflet.¹³

06 · Daily liraglutide

Daily injections: liraglutide, Saxenda and Erly

Liraglutide is the generic name behind Saxenda and products such as Erly, and it is a daily injection. That is the clearest practical difference from Mounjaro and Wegovy, which are once weekly.

Liraglutide is supplied at a concentration of 6mg per millilitre. The dose you take is set by a prescriber and the product information.

If you want to know how liraglutide compares for your situation, ask your prescriber, who can use the current product information.

One point matters when comparing trial headlines across products. Results from different trials are not directly comparable, because the studies had different designs and populations. SURMOUNT-5 is the first large head-to-head trial of tirzepatide and semaglutide for weight loss.¹⁵

Brand names can also be confusing in the daily category, because a single generic ingredient can sit behind several product names. If you are handed a product you do not recognise, check the active ingredient on the box.

If you are already using any GLP-1 medicine and considering a change, do not stop or switch by yourself. Speak to the prescriber who looks after you, and tell them exactly which brand and strength you have been using.

Our broader guide to GLP-1 medications for weight loss sets out how the main options fit together, and our brand names of GLP-1 page gives a second list of names for quick reference.

07 · Tablet options

GLP-1 tablets available in the UK

The GLP-1 tablets licensed in the UK are Wegovy tablets, which contain oral semaglutide, and Foundayo, whose active ingredient is orforglipron. Both are prescription medicines with their own product information, which is separate from the injections.

Wegovy tablets are semaglutide in tablet form, and their product information is published in the electronic medicines compendium.²⁰ Foundayo is a film-coated tablet containing orforglipron, described as an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist.²¹ Both have been studied in their own trials, OASIS 4 for oral semaglutide and ATTAIN-1 for orforglipron.²²²³

No trial has compared Mounjaro directly with either tablet, so results from separate trials should not be set against each other.

Why choose a tablet? The obvious reason is that some people would rather not inject. Whether a tablet is suitable depends on your health, your other medicines and the product's own instructions, which are different from those for the pens. Wegovy tablets 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), then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other tablets. Foundayo can be taken at any time of day, with or without food and without water restrictions, swallowed whole.

If you see the same ingredient in tablet and injection form, remember that they are separate products. Do not combine a semaglutide tablet with a semaglutide pen, and never take two GLP-1 medicines together.

Be careful about where you buy. A prescription is required, and a legitimate pharmacy will assess you first. Anyone offering to supply without a consultation or prescription should be avoided. You can check any UK pharmacy on the GPhC register, and ours is GPhC 9012878.¹²

For where to start, see our weight loss clinic page. The prescriber can talk through whether an injection or a tablet is more appropriate for you.

08 · What trials show

What the trials say about tirzepatide

Naming a medicine is not the same as knowing how well it works.

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

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

As a worked example, for someone starting at 100 kg, 20.9% is about 21 kg. That is straight arithmetic on a trial average, not a prediction, and your own result may be higher or lower.

For a direct tirzepatide versus semaglutide comparison, only SURMOUNT-5 supports one.¹⁵

What should you take from this? Licensed GLP-1 medicines are tools used with diet and activity, not shortcuts. Headline averages also hide a wide spread of individual outcomes.

Low-cost supplements sold with dramatic weight-loss claims have no clinical oversight and are not GLP-1 medicines, whatever the label suggests.

09 · Safety and interactions

Safety, interactions and who should ask first

Anyone considering a GLP-1 medicine should be assessed by a prescriber first, and should tell them about everything else they take.

Because Mounjaro slows stomach emptying, it can affect how quickly some oral medicines are absorbed, particularly when you start treatment or increase the dose. Tell your prescriber about everything you take — especially warfarin or other narrow-margin medicines, insulin, or sulfonylureas (where doses may need reducing to avoid low blood sugar). No adjustment is needed for paracetamol.¹

Note the wording on insulin and sulfonylureas: doses may need adjusting. That is not the same as saying they can never be used together. Your prescriber manages that balance, so do not change any diabetes medicine yourself.

Contraception needs particular attention. 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 Ask your prescriber what you should do.

The right answer depends on your own medicines and conditions, so a generic list from the internet is not a safe substitute for a prescriber's review. That is why our consultation is reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber, and why unsuitable orders are refunded automatically.

Most side effects are digestive: nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation and abdominal discomfort are the most common. Report any new or worrying symptom to your prescriber. You can also report suspected side effects through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.¹⁹ Our GLP-1 medications side effects page covers the topic in more depth.

What should you not do on a GLP-1? Do not treat the medicine as a replacement for diet and activity, since it is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Do not buy from sellers who skip the consultation. Never take two GLP-1 medicines together.

Finally, if you stop, tirzepatide has a half-life of about five days, so after a final dose it takes roughly 4–5 weeks to clear the system. There is no way to speed this up, and nothing needs doing while it clears.¹

10 · NHS and private

NHS and private access to GLP-1 medicines

Mounjaro is available on the NHS, but access is phased and depends on your circumstances. That is the starting point for anyone comparing NHS access with a private route.

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.⁴⁶

NHS access to Wegovy runs through specialist weight-management services; ask your GP.

If you go through the NHS, you may pay the standard prescription charge in England, which is £9.90 per item where it applies. Your GP or local service can confirm what applies to you.

If you choose a private route, make sure the pharmacy is regulated. Ours is a GPhC-registered UK online pharmacy, registration 9012878, and you can check it on the public register.¹² Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full.

On costs, our standard Mounjaro 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. Across the UK pharmacies we track, Mounjaro pens ranged from £143.96 to £339.00 per month as of 10 October 2026. The price shown is the price paid, and there are no hidden fees.

New customers save £40 on their first order with code FIRST40, and an automatic £25 reorder discount applies to every future order (code DOSE25). Klarna and pay-monthly options are available, and there are no subscriptions.

If you want to see how the pieces fit, our guide to how GLP-1 medications are changing consumer behaviour looks at the wider picture, and the Mounjaro pen page has live prices and the consultation.

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 · Ordering and storage

How ordering works and how to store the pens

Ordering a GLP-1 medicine from us follows four steps, and the first is a free online consultation. This is how it works for Mounjaro and our other prescription treatments.

Step one: complete a short health questionnaire, with no charge and no obligation. Step two: a GPhC-registered prescriber reviews it. This is a prescriber review, not a scoring script. Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full.

Step three: our registered pharmacy dispenses the medicine, with same-day dispatch when you order by 3pm. Step four: delivery is free next-day tracked delivery by DPD, in temperature-controlled, discreet packaging. Saturday delivery is £14.99.

Mounjaro comes through official LillyDirect supply, direct from Eli Lilly's UK distribution, and the pens are genuine KwikPens. Every dose is in stock at the time of writing. Repeat orders re-check suitability, and nothing ships automatically.

Aftercare matters with these medicines. Ongoing monthly reviews, dose-titration and follow-up assessments are carried out by the prescribing team, with side-effect support. Our support team is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, by email at support@everydaymeds.co.uk, through the account portal chat, or by phone on 0333 207 0413. GLPTrackr is our free companion app for tracking your journey on iOS and Android.

On storage, unopened pens go in the fridge at 2–8°C until first use, 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, then must be thrown away. If you are unsure about an unopened pen that has been out of the fridge, check the patient information leaflet and ask the pharmacy before using it.¹³

After the in-use period, sterility and potency are no longer assured, so do not keep using a pen beyond it. Needles, a sharps bin and injection guidance are included with every order.

If you are not sure which name applies to you, you do not have to decide alone. Start with the consultation and let the prescriber advise. For wider context, see our guide to GLP-1 agonist names or go to the weight loss clinic to start.

A short checklist can help before you order. Know the brand and generic name of anything you already take. Have your medicines list to hand for the questionnaire. Decide whether weekly or daily dosing suits you. Then let the prescriber confirm what is appropriate.