What is Semaglutide?

The short answer

Semaglutide is a lab-made peptide that copies a hormone the gut makes after you eat. In the US, you need a prescription to get Semaglutide.

  • What it is

    Copies the gut hormone GLP-1 and binds its receptor.

  • What people look into

    Weight

Get updates on Semaglutide

What it is

Type
GLP-1 receptor agonist (peptide)
Also known as
sema
How it works
Copies the gut hormone GLP-1 and binds its receptor.

Regulatory status

FDA-approved (Rx) How we label status

As of October 4, 2026, Semaglutide is an FDA-approved prescription drug for type 2 diabetes; chronic weight management; cardiovascular risk reduction; reducing the risk of sustained eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, Ozempic injection only; noncirrhotic MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (stages F2 to F3) in adults, Wegovy injection only, under accelerated approval.

See Semaglutide in the Index →

Federal (FDA)
Approved Rx (Ozempic NDA209637 2017; Wegovy NDA215256 2021; Rybelsus NDA213051 2019; Ozempic tablets NDA213051 2026; Wegovy tablet NDA218316 2025)
503A compounding
Approved-drug component; shortage resolved 2025-02-21 (503A window ended, PI denied 2025-04-24; 503B ended 2025-05-22); 'essentially a copy' limits apply (as of April 1, 2026)
WADA 2026
Not prohibited (monitoring)

Timeline

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Timeline table
DateWhat happenedSource
FDA Federal Register notice proposes not to include semaglutide on the 503B bulks list for outsourcing facility compounding.Federal Register, event of May 1, 2026, on federalregister.gov

US enforcement actions

78 US enforcement actions since 2023.

Actions by US federal and state agencies whose documents name Semaglutide. Each row links to the government's own document.

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Show all 78 enforcement actions

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More US enforcement actions table
DateAgencyActionDocument
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, August 24, 2026, 5 of 5 that day, on fda.gov
US Justice DepartmentOther actionUS Department of Justice action, July 23, 2026
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 1 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 2 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 3 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 4 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 5 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 6 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 7 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 8 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 9 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 10 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 11 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 12 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 13 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 8, 2026, 14 of 14 that day, on fda.gov
Connecticut Attorney GeneralSettlementConnecticut document, settlement, May 6, 2026, 1 of 2 that day, on portal.ct.gov
Connecticut Attorney GeneralSettlementConnecticut document, settlement, May 6, 2026, 2 of 2 that day, on portal.ct.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, May 1, 2026, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, April 14, 2026, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, April 7, 2026, on fda.gov
US Justice DepartmentIndictmentJustice Department document, indictment, April 1, 2026, on justice.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, March 31, 2026, 1 of 3 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, March 31, 2026, 2 of 3 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, March 31, 2026, 3 of 3 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, February 20, 2026, 1 of 4 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, February 20, 2026, 2 of 4 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, February 20, 2026, 3 of 4 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, February 20, 2026, 4 of 4 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, January 20, 2026, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, January 16, 2026, on fda.gov
Alabama Attorney GeneralSettlementAlabama document, settlement, January 12, 2026, on alabamaag.gov
Connecticut Attorney GeneralOther actionConnecticut document, other action, December 3, 2025, 1 of 3 that day, on portal.ct.gov
Connecticut Attorney GeneralOther actionConnecticut document, other action, December 3, 2025, 2 of 3 that day, on portal.ct.gov
Connecticut Attorney GeneralOther actionConnecticut document, other action, December 3, 2025, 3 of 3 that day, on portal.ct.gov
Alabama Attorney GeneralOther actionAlabama document, other action, November 10, 2025, on alabamaag.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 11, 2025, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 10, 2025, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 1 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 2 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 3 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 4 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 5 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 6 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 7 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 8 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 9 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 10 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 11 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 12 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 13 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 14 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 15 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 16 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 17 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, September 9, 2025, 18 of 18 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, July 29, 2025, on fda.gov
FDAImport alertFDA document, import alert, July 9, 2025, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, June 12, 2025, on fda.gov
Connecticut Attorney GeneralOther actionConnecticut document, other action, May 21, 2025, 1 of 2 that day, on portal.ct.gov
Connecticut Attorney GeneralOther actionConnecticut document, other action, May 21, 2025, 2 of 2 that day, on portal.ct.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, May 5, 2025, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, April 23, 2025, on fda.gov
US Justice DepartmentPleaJustice Department document, plea, April 14, 2025, on justice.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, February 26, 2025, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, December 10, 2024, 1 of 4 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, December 10, 2024, 2 of 4 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, December 10, 2024, 3 of 4 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, December 10, 2024, 4 of 4 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, February 7, 2024, 1 of 2 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, February 7, 2024, 2 of 2 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, October 2, 2023, 1 of 2 that day, on fda.gov
FDAWarning letterFDA document, warning letter, October 2, 2023, 2 of 2 that day, on fda.gov

Forms and brands

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Forms and brands table
NameKindStatusFDA statusAs of
Compounded semaglutideCompounded formNot FDA-approvedNot FDA-approved (compounded drugs are not FDA-approved)
OzempicBrandFDA-approved (Rx)Approved Rx (NDA209637, 2017; tablets NDA213051, 2026; type 2 diabetes; cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease, injection; cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events, tablets; reducing the risk of sustained eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, injection only)
RybelsusBrandFDA-approved (Rx)Approved Rx (NDA213051, 2019; type 2 diabetes; cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events)
Semaglutide sodium / acetate (salt forms)SaltNot FDA-approvedNot FDA-approved
WegovyBrandFDA-approved (Rx)Approved Rx (NDA215256, 2021; tablet NDA218316, 2025; chronic weight management; cardiovascular risk reduction; noncirrhotic MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (stages F2 to F3) in adults, injection only, under accelerated approval)

References

Sources as of October 4, 2026

  1. DailyMed: dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm (1 of 3)
  2. DailyMed: dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm (2 of 3)
  3. DailyMed: dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm (3 of 3)
  4. FDA: www.fda.gov/media/185526/download
  5. FDA: www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fda-clarifies-policies-compounders-national-glp-1-supply-begins-stabilize
  6. Federal Register: www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/01/2026-08552/list-of-bulk-drug-substances-for-which-there-is-a-clinical-need-under-section-503b-of-the-federal
  7. WADA: www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026_list_monitoring_program_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf
  8. Drugs@FDA: www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm
  9. FDA: www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/appletter/2026/213051Orig1s030ltr.pdf