Novo Nordisk developed Ozempic and Wegovy, both based on semaglutide.
Novo Nordisk is a Danish pharmaceutical company headquartered in Bagsværd. Its history began in the 1920s with companies founded by insulin pioneers August Krogh, Marie Krogh, and Hans Christian Hagedorn. Novo Nordisk was formed in 1989 through the merger of Novo Industri and Nordisk Gentofte.
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, receptor agonist. Ozempic is approved primarily for type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is approved for chronic weight management in eligible patients. The same active ingredient is also sold as Rybelsus in an oral tablet for type 2 diabetes.
These medicines are not identical in dose, indication, or labeling. They should not be treated as interchangeable products without medical guidance. Novo Nordisk is also a major producer of insulin and other diabetes treatments.