Wegovy (Semaglutide for Weight + CV)

Wegovy is Novo Nordisk's brand name for semaglutide 2.4 mg for chronic weight management (FDA-approved 2021) and for cardiovascular event reduction in adults with obesity and established CVD (FDA-approved March 2024 — the first weight-management drug ever approved for a CV outcome).

At a glance

• Generic name: semaglutide
• FDA-approved indications: Chronic weight management (2021); CV event reduction in BMI ≥27 + CVD (March 2024); pediatric obesity (12+)
• Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk
• List price (cash, no coverage): ~$1,349/month
• Cash-pay program: ~$499/month direct from Novo (NovoCare)
• Medicare Part D coverage: Expanded April 2026 under SELECT-aligned pathway (BMI ≥27 + established CVD)

The cardiovascular indication

In March 2024, FDA approved Wegovy for cardiovascular event reduction in adults with obesity (BMI ≥27) and established CVD, without diabetes. Basis: SELECT trial (NEJM 2023), 17,604 adults, 20% reduction in MACE over median 39.8 months. This was the first weight-management drug ever approved for a CV outcome. See our cardiovascular page.

Dosing

• Start: 0.25 mg weekly × 4 weeks.
• Titration: 0.5 → 1.0 → 1.7 → 2.4 mg, with 4 weeks at each step.
• Maintenance: 2.4 mg weekly.

Cost

List ~$1,349/month. Cash-pay via NovoCare ~$499/month. With insurance for weight indication: highly variable (many plans exclude). With insurance for CV indication: increasingly covered post-March 2024. Compounded semaglutide cash-pay is substantially lower ($145–$215/mo) — see semaglutide page for tradeoffs.

See also

· All about semaglutide · Ozempic vs Wegovy · CV indication detail