Medicine pathway
Three ingredients, several brands, different uses
These names often appear together, but one cannot always be swapped for another. Start with the active ingredient, then match the brand to the reason for care.
Semaglutide: the ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy
Semaglutide is made to copy a gut hormone that the body releases after a meal. It helps signal fullness and helps the body handle sugar.
As of September 2026, the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has approved Ozempic for adults with type 2 diabetes: to help control blood sugar, lower certain heart risks in people who also have heart disease, and slow kidney disease in people who also have long-term kidney disease. It is not approved for weight loss.
Wegovy is the semaglutide brand approved for long-term weight management. The injection also has approvals for people aged 12 and older, certain heart-risk reduction in adults, and a serious kind of fatty liver disease in adults. The tablet is for adults and does not have the teen or liver approvals.
A generic is an FDA-approved medicine made to match a brand-name product. As of September 2026, no such version of semaglutide is being sold in the United States. A version made to order by a pharmacy has not received FDA approval.
Tirzepatide: the ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound
Tirzepatide copies two natural hormones from the gut. Hormones are body messengers; these two help tell the brain you are full and help the body handle sugar after a meal.
As of September 2026, Mounjaro is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes in adults and children aged 10 and older. It is also approved to lower certain heart risks in adults with diabetes who are at high risk. It is not approved for weight loss.
Zepbound is the tirzepatide brand approved for weight and for moderate to severe sleep apnea in adults with obesity.
As of September 2026, there is no generic tirzepatide. The FDA has warned sellers using made-up names or research-only labels.
Liraglutide: an older daily medicine with generics
Liraglutide is a manufactured copy of a gut hormone that helps control blood sugar and appetite. It is in the same medicine family as semaglutide.
Saxenda is the liraglutide brand approved for weight.
As of September 2026, FDA-approved generic versions of Saxenda exist for weight management. Other generic liraglutide products are made to match Victoza for type 2 diabetes. The FDA puts them in separate groups, so a pharmacy should not swap one group for the other.
A generic liraglutide is an FDA-approved generic medicine, not a compounded product.
Next in the pathway
Take the comparison back to the start
Use the exact ingredient and brand in every later check.