Patient-Friendly Explanation
Semaglutide is the active ingredient in medicines like Wegovy and Ozempic. It works by mimicking your body’s natural GLP-1 hormone, helping you feel full and satisfied with less food.
Clinical Definition
Semaglutide is a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist with 94 percent sequence homology to human GLP-1. It is administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection. Clinical trials demonstrated mean weight loss of approximately 15 percent of body weight over 68 weeks when combined with lifestyle intervention.
References
- Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity — New England Journal of Medicine, 2021