GLP-1 medications: the full list, FDA status, form and cost

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a hormone the gut releases after a meal. The natural hormone lasts 1.5 to 2 minutes in the blood before enzymes clear it (Saxenda label). The medicines are engineered to last far longer: about 13 hours for liraglutide, about 5 days for dulaglutide and tirzepatide, and about a week for semaglutide (each drug's FDA label).

The class now has three branches:

• Peptide GLP-1 receptor agonists: semaglutide, liraglutide and dulaglutide act on the GLP-1 receptor only.
• Dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist: tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) also activates the receptor for GIP, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, a second gut hormone (Zepbound label).
• Small-molecule agonist: orforglipron (Foundayo) is a non-peptide molecule of 902 g/mol (Foundayo label). Its label lets it be taken at any time, with or without food, which oral semaglutide's label does not.

For the hormone itself, read our explainer on what is GLP-1. This page maps the medicines.

These drugs act on blood sugar, the stomach and the brain at the same time.

• Insulin and glucagon. Semaglutide stimulates insulin release and lowers glucagon release, both in a glucose-dependent way: the effect switches on when blood glucose is high (Ozempic label, section 12.1). Because of that, the labels flag low blood sugar mainly when a GLP-1 is combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea.
• Stomach emptying. The drugs slow how fast food leaves the stomach. The Foundayo label notes the delay is largest after the first dose and shrinks over time.
• Appetite. GLP-1 receptors sit in brain areas that regulate hunger, and animal studies show semaglutide and tirzepatide reach and activate neurons there (Wegovy and Zepbound labels, section 12.1).

Tirzepatide adds GIP activity. Lilly's label says nonclinical studies suggest GIP may add to the regulation of food intake, though the exact contribution in people is not established.

Each GLP-1 is approved for specific uses, and its label decides who qualifies.

• Weight management: Wegovy, Zepbound, Foundayo and Saxenda are approved for adults with obesity, or with overweight plus at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol. In the trials behind those labels, obesity meant a BMI of 30 or more and overweight a BMI of 27 to 29.9 (Wegovy label, section 14.2). Wegovy injection and Saxenda also cover adolescents aged 12 and older.
• Other uses: Zepbound treats moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity. Wegovy injection and the Wegovy pill lower heart-attack and stroke risk in adults with heart disease.
• Type 2 diabetes: Ozempic, Rybelsus, Ozempic tablets, Mounjaro, Trulicity and Victoza.

Who should not take them: every label in the class lists a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or MEN 2 as a contraindication. Because semaglutide lingers for weeks, the Wegovy label says to stop it 2 months or more before trying to conceive.

Each number below is a trial average at the study's end point, set against placebo. Individual results range widely above and below it.

• Wegovy 2.4 mg injection: 14.9% average weight loss vs 2.4% on placebo at 68 weeks (STEP 1, Wegovy label Study 2).
• Wegovy HD 7.2 mg: 18.8% vs 3.9% at 72 weeks (STEP UP, Wegovy label Study 8).
• Wegovy pill 25 mg: 13.6% vs 2.4% at 64 weeks (OASIS 4, Wegovy label Study 7).
• Zepbound 15 mg: 20.9% vs 3.1% at 72 weeks (SURMOUNT-1, Zepbound label Study 1).
• Foundayo 17.2 mg: 11.1% vs 2.1% at 72 weeks (ATTAIN-1, Foundayo label Trial 1).
• Saxenda 3 mg: 7.4% vs 3.0% at 56 weeks (Saxenda label Study 1).

The one direct head-to-head between the two leading molecules found 20.2% with tirzepatide and 13.7% with semaglutide at 72 weeks (SURMOUNT-5, NEJM 2025).

Beyond weight. In SELECT, Wegovy injection lowered first heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death to 6.5% of patients vs 8.0% on placebo, a hazard ratio of 0.80 (Wegovy label). In FLOW, Ozempic 1 mg cut a composite of serious kidney decline, kidney failure and death by 24% in type 2 diabetes with chronic kidney disease (hazard ratio 0.76, Ozempic label).

Stomach and bowel effects are the class pattern, and they cluster in the weeks when the dose is going up. Nausea was reported by 44% on Wegovy 2.4 mg vs 16% on placebo (Wegovy label), by 25% to 29% on Zepbound vs 8% (Zepbound label), and by 26% to 35% on Foundayo vs 10% (Foundayo label). Diarrhea, vomiting and constipation follow the same shape.

Stopping because of side effects ran 6.8% on Wegovy injection, 4.8% to 6.7% on Zepbound and 8% on Foundayo, against 3% to 3.4% on placebo in those programs.

The labels share a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents, plus warnings for pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney injury from dehydration, severe gastrointestinal reactions and aspiration during anesthesia. Drug-by-drug detail: Ozempic side effects, Mounjaro side effects, Rybelsus side effects and Wegovy pill side effects.

Without insurance, brand GLP-1s cost roughly $149 to $499 a month through the makers' own programs, depending on drug and dose.

• Wegovy pill: $149 a month at 1.5 mg, $199 at 4 mg, $299 at 9 mg and 25 mg (NovoCare Pharmacy Wegovy page, checked 5 Oct 2026).
• Wegovy injection: $349 a month for 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg and $399 for Wegovy HD 7.2 mg; new patients pay $199 for two fills through 31 Dec 2026 (same page, checked 5 Oct 2026).
• Zepbound: $299 at 2.5 mg, $399 at 5 mg, $449 at 7.5 mg to 15 mg, refilled within 45 days (Zepbound savings page, checked 5 Oct 2026).
• Foundayo: from $149 for 30 days of 0.8 mg via LillyDirect (usetemi.com/medications/foundayo, checked 5 Oct 2026).
• Compounded, not FDA-approved: semaglutide from $59.99 per 7.5 mg vial (usetemi.com/medications/compounded-semaglutide-injectable, checked 5 Oct 2026); tirzepatide from $104.99 per 8.5 mg vial (usetemi.com/medications/compounded-tirzepatide-injectable, checked 5 Oct 2026). California prices, plus a $39 service fee (usetemi.com/how-it-works, checked 5 Oct 2026).

Temi is cash-pay and does not bill insurance.