Generic, compounded, or brand name? A guide to weight loss drugs

In recent years, medications for weight loss have become more available than ever. With choices including name-brand GLP-1s, oral brand medications, and generics to compounded semaglutide, there’s a medication out there to support your goals. But with so many possibilities, the choices can get overwhelming. The best way to get the right support is to work with a health care provider specializing in weight care. And if you start by knowing what medications are available, you’ll be better equipped to make informed choices about your health. 

What are the available categories of medication-assisted weight loss, and how do they differ? Which ones might be covered by your insurance, and which ones will cost you out of pocket? Get the knowledge you need to start making decisions about the support you need for weight loss by learning about the differences between generic, brand name, and compounded drugs. 

Brand-name obesity medications 

A brand-name drug is a medication sold under a specific name by a specific company. Brand-name drugs contain an active ingredient that may also be the active ingredient of generic or compounded drugs. Brand name drugs are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and can only be sold by the company that holds the patent. New medications are nearly always sold first as brand-name products. 

New brand-name medications for weight loss have been stealing the limelight over the past few years. In 2021, a Dr. Oz show touted Ozempic® for its weight loss potential, leading to social media mentions and a viral TikTok trend. This buzz helped launch the popularity of several brand-name GLP-1 medications, a category of drugs that has been demonstrated to be highly effective for weight loss. GLP-1 receptor agonists help reduce cravings and hunger, as well as slow digestion so you feel full for longer. 

In 2021, Ozempic was an FDA-approved brand-name drug to treat type 2 diabetes, but it was also being prescribed off-label for weight loss. Off-label use of drugs is when a provider prescribes a medication for a purpose that it was not initially FDA-approved for.

While studying Ozempic as a diabetes treatment, researchers noticed that weight loss was a common side effect. As a result, they began to study the effectiveness of Ozempic for weight loss. 

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Are there brand name drugs FDA-approved for weight loss? 

In June 2021, the FDA approved Wegovy® as a weight loss medication. Wegovy contains semaglutide,  the same active ingredient as Ozempic, and the same company, Novo Nordisk, manufactures it. Wegovy and Ozempic contain different dosages of semaglutide. 

Wegovy isn’t the only FDA-approved brand-name GLP-1 medication for weight loss. Saxenda®, which Novo Nordisk also manufactures, was approved in December 2014 as a weight loss drug. Saxenda is also a GLP-1 receptor agonist with the active ingredient liraglutide, which works similarly to semaglutide. 

More recently, another type of GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist, tirzepatide, was approved in November 2023 under the brand name Zepbound®. Tirzepatide is highly effective for weight loss and can help people achieve as much as 20% or more reduction in body weight in clinical trials lasting 72 weeks. 

However, GLP-1 medications aren’t the only FDA-approved weight loss drugs. Other brand-name medications for weight loss include: 

• Contrave®, which contains the active ingredients bupropion and naltrexone 
• Xenical® and Alli®, which both contain the active ingredient orlistat 
• Qsymia®, which contains two active ingredients, phentermine and topiramate 

Generic weight loss medications 

Generic drugs are medications manufactured to have a similar therapeutic effect as a brand-name drug, but they are sold under a generic name. Like brand-name drugs, generic medicines must undergo an extensive FDA approval process and meet the same strict safety standards. They must meet a standard of “bioequivalence,” which means they contain the same active ingredient in the same dosage as the brand-name version and have the same clinical effect. However, they may contain slightly different inactive ingredients, preservatives, or fillers. 

The FDA approves generic drugs after the exclusivity patent for the brand name has expired. New drugs are granted a patent for a limited time, enabling the pharmaceutical company that developed the prescription drug to sell the brand-name medication for a higher price. Generic drugs typically  cost less than the brand name and may be sold by multiple drug companies, making the generic products often more accessible and affordable for consumers. 

Are any GLP-1s generic? 

In June 2024, liraglutide became the first FDA-approved generic GLP-1 medication when Teva Pharmaceuticals received approval to manufacture a generic version of Victoza®. Studies have shown that liraglutide has helped people lose an average of 6% of body weight while also improving cardiovascular health. 

Some of the non-GLP-1 weight care medications are also available as generics. Orlistat, the active ingredient in Xenical and Alli, is available in a generic. Orlistat helps with weight loss by reducing the absorption of fat, so you absorb fewer calories when you eat high-fat foods. 

What are off-label medicines for weight loss?  

Some generic medications can also be prescribed off-label for weight loss. Generic medications that can be prescribed off-label include active ingredients found in brand-name weight loss medications. For example, Qsymia, which suppresses appetite and increases metabolism, is only available as a brand name, but its active ingredients, phentermine and topiramate, are each separately available as generics. 

Metformin is another medication widely available in both brand name and generic form. While metformin is approved as a diabetes treatment, it can be prescribed off-label to support weight loss by improving insulin and blood sugar levels and tamping down appetite. 

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Compounded weight loss drugs 

Currently, GLP-1 medications are also available as compounded drugs. Compounded medications are made in compounding pharmacies. These drugs are not subject to FDA approval for safety or efficacy but the compounding pharmacies are regulated by the FDA. 

How do compounding pharmacies work? 

Usually, compounded drugs are manufactured for individual patients’ specific medical needs, such as for a person who’s allergic to an inactive ingredient in an FDA-approved drug. The FDA usually doesn’t allow pharmacies to compound medications that are identical to a brand-name drug. However, there’s an exception when a drug is in short supply. Ozempic and Wegovy have been on and off the FDA’s drug shortages list since March 2022, which has meant that compounding pharmacies in some states have been allowed to make compounded semaglutide with the same active ingredient as the brand-name medication. 

Can Found help me with weight loss medication? 

Finding the right medication for you can be a complicated balancing act. It requires navigating your health history and metabolic profile and considering your insurance coverage, copay, and budget. At Found Health, you will meet with a health care professional who is specially trained in obesity medicine and understands the entire landscape of medication-assisted weight care. By assessing the root causes of weight and exploring your individual needs, your prescribing provider can help you find the right path to meet your health goals. 

While GLP-1s and tirzepatide and the other medicines mentioned in this article may be  effective for weight loss, they are not clinically appropriate for everyone. Eligibility for these drugs is based on a provider’s evaluation of your medical history, MetabolicPrint™, and lab work. If tirzepatide or a GLP-1 is not appropriate for you, our providers will work with you to determine an effective medication for your health profile. Prescriptions are written at a medical provider’s discretion. 

About Found

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