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Home/United States/Blog/Wegovy pill vs Foundayo vs Wegovy injection: how do the GLP‑1 pills differ from the shot?
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Wegovy pill vs Foundayo vs Wegovy injection: how do the GLP‑1 pills differ from the shot?

Two daily tablets and one weekly injection, compared on how you take them, what the trials found, side effects and makers’ prices. From the US labels.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished Oct 12, 20267 min read12 sourcesWritten from published sources

Written for the United States. Reading from India? India version

The short answer

The Wegovy pill is daily semaglutide, the medicine in the Wegovy shot, taken on an empty stomach. Foundayo (orforglipron) is a different, non-peptide daily pill you can take with or without food. In separate trials, the 25 mg Wegovy pill gave 13.6% average weight loss, top-dose Foundayo 11.1% and the 2.4 mg shot 14.9%.

Key takeaways

  • The Wegovy pill contains semaglutide, the same medicine as the Wegovy injection, and must be taken on an empty stomach with no more than 4 ounces of water.1
  • Foundayo contains orforglipron, a small non-peptide molecule that switches on the same GLP‑1 receptor, and can be taken once a day with or without food.2,3
  • In separate trials, people lost 13.6% of their weight on the Wegovy 25 mg pill and 11.1% on Foundayo 17.2 mg, against about 2% on placebo.1,2
  • Stomach side effects were common with both pills: 26 to 35 in 100 people felt sick on Foundayo, against 10 in 100 on placebo.2
  • The makers’ cash prices for both pills start at $149 a month and reach $299 at higher doses, against $349 for a Wegovy pen.4,5
Before you go further
  • This post compares FDA labels and trials. It doesn’t rank the medicines or say which suits you: a prescriber decides.
  • Prices are the makers’ published self-pay prices. We don’t name or link to any seller.
  • All three need a prescription and carry the risks set out below and in our side effects guide.
On this page
  1. What are the GLP‑1 pills for weight?
  2. How do you take each one?
  3. How much weight did people lose in the trials?
  4. Are the side effects different?
  5. What do they cost, and are they covered?
  6. Questions people ask
  7. How we researched this
  8. Sources

What are the GLP‑1 pills for weight?

Two daily pills are FDA-approved for weight in adults: the Wegovy pill (semaglutide) and Foundayo (orforglipron); the Wegovy injection is the weekly shot.1,2

A medicine and a brand are different things. The medicine is what works in your body; the brand is the name on the box. Wegovy is a brand of semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk. Foundayo is Eli Lilly’s brand of orforglipron.1,2

Weekly shotWegovy injectionSemaglutide. Weight in adults and children 12+, heart risk, and a liver disease called MASH1
Daily pillWegovy pillSemaglutide. Weight and heart risk in adults1
Daily pillFoundayoOrforglipron. Weight in adults; first US approval 20262
Diabetes onlyRybelsus, OzempicSemaglutide pills and pens for type 2 diabetes, not weight6,7

All three copy a gut hormone called GLP‑1. It slows how fast the stomach empties and acts on the brain to reduce hunger. Semaglutide is a peptide, a small protein, which the gut breaks down easily. That is why the Wegovy pill needs an empty stomach. Orforglipron is a small non-peptide molecule, so food doesn’t get in the way.3,2 More in what GLP‑1s do.

How do you take each one?

The Wegovy pill goes down first thing with a little water and a 30-minute wait; Foundayo any time with or without food; the injection once a week.1,2

  • Wegovy pill: once a day, on an empty stomach in the morning, with up to 4 ounces of water. Wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other pills. Start at 1.5 mg for 30 days, step up every 30 days, and stay at 25 mg.1
  • Foundayo: once a day, with or without food. Start at 0.8 mg, move to 2.5 mg and then 5.5 mg after at least 30 days each. It can go up to 9, 14.5 or 17.2 mg. The top dose is 9 mg with some strong interacting medicines.2
  • Wegovy injection: once a week, any time of day. Start at 0.25 mg for 4 weeks and step up every 4 weeks to the usual 2.4 mg dose.1

Both pills are kept at room temperature, 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C).1,2 Wegovy pens go in the fridge. Foundayo and tirzepatide can make birth-control pills less reliable; the Foundayo label advises a backup method for 30 days after starting and after each dose step.2

How much weight did people lose in the trials?

On average, 13.6% of body weight on the Wegovy 25 mg pill, 11.1% on Foundayo 17.2 mg and 14.9% on the Wegovy 2.4 mg injection, against about 2% on placebo.1,2

How to read a trial result:

  • People are put into groups at random.
  • One group gets the medicine; the other gets a dummy (placebo) that looks the same.
  • Both groups get the same diet and activity advice.
  • The gap between the groups is what the medicine added.
OASIS 4
Wegovy pill, 25 mg daily
307 adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes · 64 weeks
Wegovy pill-13.6%
Placebo-2.4%
Average change in body weight. 76 in 100 lost at least 5%, against 31 in 100 on placebo. US label, Study 7.1
ATTAIN-1
Foundayo, daily
3,127 adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes · 72 weeks
17.2 mg-11.1%
9 mg-8.3%
5.5 mg-7.4%
Placebo-2.1%
Average change in body weight. At 17.2 mg, 72 in 100 lost at least 5%, against 27 in 100 on placebo. US label, Trial 1.2
STEP 1
Wegovy injection, 2.4 mg weekly
1,961 adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes · 68 weeks
Wegovy 2.4 mg-14.9%
Placebo-2.4%
Average change in body weight. 84 in 100 lost at least 5%, against 31 in 100 on placebo. US label, Study 2.1

For someone starting at 220 lb (100 kg), those averages are about 30 lb (14 kg) on the Wegovy pill, 24 lb (11 kg) on Foundayo 17.2 mg and 33 lb (15 kg) on the injection. Averages hide a wide spread: some people lose much more, some very little.

These are separate trials, with different people, lengths and years, so they can’t be compared directly. Each was paid for by the maker: OASIS 4 and STEP 1 by Novo Nordisk, ATTAIN-1 by Eli Lilly.8,12,3

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Are the side effects different?

They are similar in kind: mostly feeling sick, diarrhea, vomiting and constipation, worst while the dose goes up.1,2

On Foundayo, 26 to 35 in 100 people felt sick depending on the dose, against 10 in 100 on placebo. 13 to 24 in 100 vomited, against 4 in 100.2 Foundayo also raised heart rate by 4 to 5 beats a minute on average.2

On the Wegovy 25 mg pill, 74 in 100 people had a stomach or gut side effect, against 42 in 100 on placebo.8 The label says the common side effects were similar to those of the injection.1 Side effects led 6.9 in 100 people on the pill to stop, against 5.9 in 100 on placebo.1

RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects. In the main trials, about 44 in 100 people on Wegovy 2.4 mg injection felt sick (nausea), against about 16 in 100 on a dummy injection (placebo);1 stomach and gut side effects affected about 74 in 100 people on the Wegovy 25 mg pill, against about 42 in 100 on a dummy pill;8 about 26 to 35 in 100 people on Foundayo felt sick, against about 10 in 100 on a dummy pill.2 It mostly comes while the dose goes up.
  • Gallstones were reported in 16 in 1,000 people on Wegovy injection, against 7 in 1,000 on placebo;1 10 in 1,000 on Foundayo, against 7 in 1,000 on placebo.2
  • Pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas): severe stomach pain that won’t go away and may spread to the back. The labels say to stop the medicine if it is suspected.1,2
  • Thyroid warning. The labels carry a boxed warning: these medicines are not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) or MEN 2, a rare inherited condition that causes gland tumors.1,2
  • Dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea can harm the kidneys. Tell the team before any surgery or sedation, because a slower-emptying stomach raises the risk of breathing in food or fluid.1,2
  • Pregnancy. The Wegovy label says to stop at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy;1 Foundayo can make birth-control pills less reliable for 30 days after starting and after each dose step.2
Full detail in our side effects guide →
Get help now: call 911 or go to the ER for severe stomach pain that won’t go away, with or without vomiting (it can be pancreatitis), or for swelling of the face or throat or trouble breathing. For a possible overdose, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.1,2,9

What do they cost, and are they covered?

Paying cash, both pills cost $149 to $299 a month by dose, and the Wegovy pen $349; Medicare’s GLP‑1 Bridge covers all three for people who qualify.4,5,10

  • Wegovy pill: $149 (1.5 mg), $199 (4 mg), $299 (9 and 25 mg) a month.4
  • Foundayo: $149 (0.8 and 2.5 mg), $199 (5.5 mg), $299 (9 mg and up). Some of these prices are cut only until Dec 31, 2026, and the top doses need a refill within 45 days.5
  • Wegovy injection: $349 a month; new patients pay $199 for the first 2 fills, through Dec 31, 2026.4

Medicare’s $50 GLP‑1 Bridge covers Foundayo and Wegovy tablets and injections for people who meet its rules.10 One of the largest pharmacy benefit managers removed its block on Foundayo for commercial plans from June 1, 2026.11 More in GLP‑1 costs without insurance and the Medicare GLP‑1 Bridge.

Questions people ask

Is the Wegovy pill as strong as the shot?

In separate trials, the 25 mg pill gave 13.6% average weight loss over 64 weeks and the 2.4 mg shot 14.9% over 68 weeks. Separate trials can’t be compared directly.1

Can you take Foundayo with food?

Yes. The label says to take it once a day, with or without food.2

Why do you have to wait 30 minutes after the Wegovy pill?

The label says to take it on an empty stomach with up to 4 ounces of water and wait at least 30 minutes before food, drink or other pills. Semaglutide is a peptide, and the gut breaks it down easily.1

Is Foundayo semaglutide?

No. Foundayo contains orforglipron, a different medicine that works on the same GLP‑1 receptor.2

Is Rybelsus the same as the Wegovy pill?

Both contain semaglutide, but Rybelsus and the newer Ozempic tablets are approved for type 2 diabetes, not weight. Rybelsus comes in 3, 7 and 14 mg; the Wegovy pill goes up to 25 mg.6,1

How we researched this

We used the current US labels for Wegovy (injection and tablets) and Foundayo, and the trial papers in the New England Journal of Medicine, checked on October 12, 2026. Prices are the makers’ published self-pay prices.1,2,8,3,4,5

Weight examples are our arithmetic from the trial averages.

Before you move on

  • Ask whether a morning empty-stomach routine works for you.
  • List your other medicines: some limit the Foundayo dose.
  • Check birth control if you use the pill.
  • Compare the whole dose ladder’s price, not the first month.
  • Ask how long before a dose change is reviewed.
Doctor questionsWhat GLP‑1s doSide effects and risks

More from the US blog

USUnited StatesZepbound vs Wegovy: which loses more weight, and how do side effects, cost and coverage compare?USUnited StatesHow much do Wegovy, Zepbound and the GLP‑1 pills cost without insurance in the US?USUnited StatesWegovy HD 7.2 mg: what does the higher dose mean?
About GLP Guidebook

The monthly US update

An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don’t sell medicines, take drug-company money, earn commissions or link to any provider. Once a month: FDA approvals and warnings, Medicare and Medicaid changes, and makers’ price changes. How we write

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Sources

  1. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets: US prescribing information. Revised 06/2026. Link
  2. Eli Lilly. Foundayo (orforglipron) tablets: US prescribing information. Revised 7/2026. Link
  3. Wharton S, et al. Orforglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist for obesity treatment (ATTAIN-1). N Engl J Med 2025;393:1796-1806. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2511774. PMID 40960239. Funded by Eli Lilly. Link
  4. Novo Nordisk. Price your Wegovy (NovoCare): self-pay prices by dose, new-patient offer and savings-card terms. Checked Oct 12, 2026. Link
  5. Eli Lilly. LillyDirect Foundayo self-pay page (prices by dose; 2.5 mg and 5.5 mg prices temporarily reduced through Dec 31, 2026), lilly.com/lillydirect. Checked Oct 12, 2026. Not linked because the page sells medicine.
  6. Novo Nordisk. Rybelsus and Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets: US prescribing information. Revised 1/2026. Link
  7. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) injection: US prescribing information. Revised 05/2026. Link
  8. Wharton S, et al. Oral semaglutide at a dose of 25 mg in adults with overweight or obesity (OASIS 4). N Engl J Med 2025;393:1077-1087. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2500969. PMID 40934115. Funded by Novo Nordisk. Link
  9. Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center). Poison help line 1-800-222-1222. Link
  10. Medicare.gov. Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: GLP-1 drugs for $50 a month (fact sheet). CMS Product No. 12234, June 2026. Link
  11. CVS Health. CVS Caremark delivers affordability and access to GLP-1 weight management medications with expanded coverage options. News release, May 28, 2026. Link
  12. Wilding JPH, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med 2021;384:989-1002. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2032183. PMID 33567185. Funded by Novo Nordisk. Link

Last checked Oct 12, 2026 · Next review due Apr 12, 2027 · Report an error

How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It’s general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or prescriber before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. We don’t sell, prescribe or recommend any brand or provider. How we write