The Active Drug in Ozempic is Semaglutide
The active pharmaceutical ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA). 1
Drug Formulation Details
According to the FDA-approved drug label, Ozempic contains:
Active Ingredient:
- Semaglutide
Inactive Ingredients:
- Disodium phosphate dihydrate
- Propylene glycol
- Phenol
- Water for injection 1
Clinical Context
Semaglutide is formulated as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection with a half-life of approximately 183 hours (7 days) 2. The molecule is specifically engineered with acylation for albumin binding and an amino acid substitution to prevent degradation by DPP-4, which extends its duration of action to allow weekly dosing 3.
Ozempic is FDA-approved for:
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus at doses of 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg once weekly (approved 2017) 2
- Reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease 4, 2
The same active drug (semaglutide) is also marketed under different brand names at different doses: Wegovy (2.4 mg weekly for obesity treatment) and Rybelsus (oral formulation for diabetes) 2.