Weight loss injections have changed the way many people approach obesity treatment. Where diet and exercise alone often fall short, prescription weight loss medication like Nevolat and Wegovy offer a clinically backed option that works with your body’s own hunger signals to make eating less feel more manageable.
Both medications belong to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. While they share the same basic mechanism, Nevolat and Wegovy are different medications with different active ingredients, dosing schedules, and weight loss results.
So which one is right for you?
| Nevolat | Wegovy | |
| Active ingredient | Liraglutide | Semaglutide |
| Drug class | GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Injection frequency | Once daily | Once weekly |
| Starting dose | 0.6mg | 0.25mg |
| Maintenance dose | 3mg | 2.4mg |
| Average weight loss | Up to 8% of body weight (56 weeks) | Up to 15% of body weight (68 weeks) |
| Prescription required | Yes | Yes |
| Approved for weight loss in the UK | Yes | Yes |
| Cardiovascular benefit | No | Yes – reduces risk of serious heart events |
| Suitable for | BMI 30+, or BMI 27+ with a weight-related condition | BMI 30+, or BMI 27+ with a weight-related condition |
Nevolat is a prescription injection for weight loss manufactured by Zentiva. It’s the generic version of Saxenda and works the same way.
Liraglutide mimics a hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), which is naturally released by your gut after you eat. This hormone signals to your brain that you’re full. By replicating that signal, Nevolat helps promote a feeling of fullness, slow digestion, and lowers the amount you eat throughout the day.
Nevolat injections are self-administered under the skin once a day using a pre-filled pen. You start on a low dose of 0.6mg and gradually increase week by week until you reach the full maintenance dose of 3mg. This step-up approach is designed to give your body time to adjust and minimise side effects.
To be eligible for Nevolat, you’ll need to have:
It should always be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and lifestyle changes to get the best results.
Wegovy is a once-weekly prescription weight loss treatment made by Novo Nordisk. Its active ingredient is semaglutide, a more potent and longer-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist than liraglutide.
Like Nevolat, it works by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone to reduce appetite and support weight reduction, but it stays active in the body for a full seven days, which is why it only needs to be taken once a week.
Wegovy is an injectable weight loss treatment administered under the skin using a pre-filled pen. You begin on a 0.25mg dose and increase gradually over several months until reaching the maintenance dose of 2.4mg. This slow escalation helps reduce side effects, particularly nausea, which is the most commonly reported issue in the first few weeks.
Eligibility criteria are the same as Nevolat:
Because both medications act through the same GLP-1 pathway, their side effect profiles are broadly similar. The most commonly reported issues with both Nevolat and Wegovy are gastrointestinal, and they tend to be most noticeable in the early weeks as your body adjusts to the medication.
Common side effects of both Nevolat and Wegovy include:
These effects usually settle down over time, particularly because both treatments use a gradual dose increase to ease your body in. Taking your injection with food and staying well hydrated can also help.
Less common but more serious side effects to be aware of with both medications include:
If you experience any severe or persistent side effects, stop using the medication and contact a healthcare professional. In the UK, side effects can also be reported via the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme.
On the evidence, Wegovy is the more effective weight loss treatment of the two.
A head-to-head study comparing the two medications found that by week 68, people taking semaglutide (Wegovy) had lost an average of 15.8% of their body weight, compared to 6.4% in those taking liraglutide (Nevolat).
Nevolat’s own trial data shows patients losing an average of 8% of their starting body weight over 56 weeks at the highest dose of 3mg. Some people lose more, with up to 11% reported with longer-term use, but the ceiling is considerably lower than what Wegovy achieves.
Wegovy’s STEP 1 trial found significant weight loss averaging around 15% at the 2.4mg maintenance dose, with over 70% of participants lost at least 10% of their body weight, and around a third lost 20% or more.
The reasons for this gap are likely due to semaglutide’s dosage and longer half-life, which give it more sustained action in the body. There’s also evidence that semaglutide has a more pronounced effect on how the brain impacts appetite, reducing cravings more effectively than liraglutide.
For people who are sensitive to their side effects, or who are new to GLP-1 treatment, starting with Nevolat can be a gentler introduction. Some clinicians use it as a first step before moving to a stronger weight loss support option if it’s needed.
Both are GLP-1 receptor agonists, but semaglutide has a much longer half-life, around 165 hours, compared to just 13 hours for liraglutide. This is what makes semaglutide effective with just one injection per week, while liraglutide requires daily dosing to maintain consistent levels in the body.
Nevolat is injected once a day, while Wegovy is injected once a week.
For many people, the convenience of a weekly injection makes Wegovy the more appealing option, with fewer injections, less daily routine disruption, and a simpler schedule to stick to long term. Some people find it easier to build a daily routine into their habits, and the more frequent, smaller doses of Nevolat may suit those who find weekly injections harder to manage.
While their side effect profiles are quite similar, Nevolat (liraglutide) is generally considered easier on the stomach because it’s a daily injection with a shorter action time and any side effects tend to be milder and more manageable.
Wegovy (semaglutide) being longer-acting and more potent, can cause stronger gastrointestinal symptoms during dose escalation, though these typically ease once you reach a stable dose.
Wegovy is also more commonly associated with bloating, belching, and heartburn.
Wegovy is currently the only weight loss injection licensed in the UK to reduce the risk of serious heart events, including heart attack and stroke, in adults who are overweight or obese and have existing cardiovascular disease. In studies, there was around a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events.
Nevolat doesn’t carry this indication.
At Click2Pharmacy, you can order weight loss injections online, with access to Nevolat, Wegovy, and Mounjaro (tirzepatide), all available through our UK-registered online clinic.
Getting started is straightforward. Complete a short online consultation, and our team of licensed prescribers will review your information based on your health, BMI, and weight loss goals. If approved, your medication is delivered discreetly to your door.
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