Wegovy 7.2mg is a higher weekly maintenance dose of the same semaglutide medicine, approved by the MHRA in January 2026 for adults with obesity who need further weight reduction after treatment with the 2.4mg dose. In the 72-week STEP UP trial, average weight loss was up to 20.7% on 7.2mg compared with 17.5% on 2.4mg if everyone stayed on treatment, or 18.7% versus 15.6% when the analysis included people who stopped early. About one in three people on 7.2mg lost 25% or more of their body weight. You can't start on it: you reach it by working up through the standard steps and spending at least four weeks on 2.4mg first. Gastrointestinal side effects remain the most common, and a tingling or altered skin sensation called dysaesthesia was more frequent at the higher dose.
Wegovy contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 medicine that reduces appetite and helps people eat less. The 7.2mg dose is simply three times the previous maximum weekly dose of 2.4mg. The MHRA approved it in January 2026 as an additional maintenance option for adults with obesity who need greater weight reduction than the 2.4mg dose provides. Depending on the device supplied, the 7.2mg dose is given either as a single 7.2mg injection or as three 2.4mg injections taken one after another in the same sitting. The MHRA approved a single-dose 7.2mg pen in April 2026, so your pharmacist will confirm which you will receive. If you're new to injecting, our step-by-step injection guide walks through the technique.
Worth knowing
Wegovy 7.2mg is the same medicine, not a new one. The difference is the dose. Not everyone needs it: many people reach their goals on 2.4mg or lower, and your prescriber decides whether a higher dose is appropriate for you.
Wegovy always starts low and rises gradually to protect your stomach. The standard schedule steps up every four weeks, taking a minimum of 16 weeks to reach 2.4mg. The 7.2mg dose is only available after at least four weeks at 2.4mg, which puts the earliest possible move to 7.2mg at around week 21. For the full standard schedule, see our Wegovy dose schedule guide.
Heights show the order of the steps and are not to scale.
| Step | Weekly dose | Minimum time at this dose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.25mg | 4 weeks |
| 2 | 0.5mg | 4 weeks |
| 3 | 1mg | 4 weeks |
| 4 | 1.7mg | 4 weeks |
| 5 | 2.4mg | At least 4 weeks before considering 7.2mg |
| 6 | 7.2mg | Maintenance, if your prescriber considers it appropriate |
Your prescriber may keep you at a lower dose for longer than the minimum, and may recommend staying on 2.4mg if you are doing well or if the higher dose isn't suited to you. You should never move between doses on your own. If you're finding a step hard to settle on, our Wegovy tolerance guide explains how your body adapts to each dose.
STEP UP was a 72-week phase 3b trial in adults with obesity without diabetes, comparing semaglutide 7.2mg with 2.4mg and with placebo, alongside diet and activity. Results are usually reported two ways, and it helps to know the difference: one looks at what happened if everyone stayed on their treatment throughout, and the other includes everyone who was randomised, even if they stopped treatment early or changed dose.
Average weight loss at 72 weeks (STEP UP)
Bars are drawn to scale against a 25% maximum.
| Analysis | Wegovy 7.2mg | Wegovy 2.4mg | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|
| If everyone stayed on treatment | 20.7% | 17.5% | 2.4% |
| Including people who stopped early | 18.7% | 15.6% | 3.9% |
Whichever way it is measured, the higher dose produced roughly three to five percentage points more average weight loss than 2.4mg. In addition, about a third of people on 7.2mg lost at least 25% of their starting weight, compared with roughly one in six on 2.4mg. As always, these are averages across a trial population, not promises: individual results vary widely. For what results look like in practice, see our Wegovy before and after guide.
Side Effects at the Higher DoseThe side effect pattern at 7.2mg is broadly similar to lower doses, with gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation being the most common. In STEP UP, gastrointestinal events were reported by around 71% of people on 7.2mg compared with around 61% on 2.4mg, though severe events were similar at about 3.5% for both. Around 5.4% of people on 7.2mg stopped because of side effects, compared with 4.0% on 2.4mg.
One difference worth knowing about is dysaesthesia, an abnormal skin sensation such as tingling, numbness or altered sensitivity. It was reported more often on the higher dose, in roughly 23% of people on 7.2mg compared with 6% on 2.4mg. Most cases were mild to moderate and the large majority resolved while treatment continued. If you notice unusual skin sensations, mention them to your prescriber. Our Wegovy side effects guide covers the full picture, including when to seek urgent help.
| Side effect measure in STEP UP | 7.2mg | 2.4mg |
|---|---|---|
| Gastrointestinal events | About 71% | About 61% |
| Severe gastrointestinal events | About 3.4% | About 3.5% |
| Dysaesthesia (abnormal skin sensations) | About 23% | About 6% |
| Stopped treatment because of side effects | About 5.4% | About 4.0% |
Alcohol can add to nausea on any dose, so see our guide on drinking alcohol while taking Wegovy, and our nutrition guide for what to eat when your appetite is low.
May be worth discussing
- You have reached 2.4mg, tolerated it well, and still have weight to lose
- You've reached a plateau on 2.4mg before your goal weight
- You want to stay on semaglutide rather than switch to another medicine
May not be appropriate
- You haven't yet reached or tolerated 2.4mg
- You're doing well and still losing steadily on your current dose
- You have troublesome gastrointestinal side effects at lower doses
If you've plateaued, our Wegovy plateau guide explains what is normal and what is worth raising with your prescriber before considering a higher dose. Your prescriber will confirm your eligibility against the current prescribing information, so always discuss your goals, health history and tolerability first.
Important
Never increase your Wegovy dose, or take extra injections, without your prescriber's instruction. Doses are stepped for a reason, and higher does not always mean better for your body.
Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which acts on two gut hormone pathways, and has shown up to around 22.5% average weight loss at its highest dose over 72 weeks in the SURMOUNT-1 trial. With Wegovy 7.2mg, the semaglutide average of up to 20.7% has narrowed the gap between the two considerably, though the trials were separate, in different populations, so they can't be compared directly. Head-to-head, an earlier trial (SURMOUNT-5) found tirzepatide produced greater weight loss than semaglutide 2.4mg.
| Wegovy 7.2mg | Mounjaro (up to 15mg) | |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Semaglutide (GLP-1) | Tirzepatide (GIP and GLP-1) |
| Highest average weight loss reported | Up to 20.7% at 72 weeks (STEP UP) | Up to around 22.5% at 72 weeks (SURMOUNT-1) |
| Frequency | Once weekly | Once weekly |
| Cardiovascular licence | Held by Wegovy for adults with established cardiovascular disease (based on trial data at 2.4mg) | Not currently held |
For a wider comparison, see our guides comparing Mounjaro and Wegovy and Mounjaro vs Wegovy for men, and our decision guide covering Mounjaro, Wegovy and the Wegovy pill. If you'd rather avoid injections altogether, see how the Wegovy pill compares with the injection. Thinking about the cost of a higher dose? Our guide on whether Wegovy is worth the money sets out how to weigh it up.
Practical Points If You Are Considering a Step Up- Make sure you are properly established on 2.4mg first, with side effects settled, before discussing a higher dose
- Ask your pharmacist which device you will receive, and how many injections each weekly dose involves; our Wegovy storage guide explains how to keep your pens
- Keep protein and fluid intake up as your appetite falls further, and keep up resistance training to help protect muscle; our Wegovy and muscle preservation guide explains how
- Track how you feel after each increase, including any unusual skin sensations, so your prescriber can see the pattern
- Plan for how you will maintain your results afterwards, since a higher dose doesn't remove the need for lasting diet and activity habits; see our guide to maintaining weight loss after Wegovy
A higher dose is a tool for people who need it, not a target to aim for. Sticking with the lowest dose that keeps you progressing and comfortable is a perfectly sound approach. Our guides to Wegovy and menopause, Wegovy for women over 40 and Wegovy and PCOS cover how dosing decisions can differ at different life stages.
Is a Higher Wegovy Dose Right for You?
Our GPhC-registered pharmacy team can talk through where you are on your Wegovy journey and whether stepping up to 7.2mg might make sense.
Start Your Free Online Consultation → Use code SWITCH10 if you're switching from another provider Happy Pharmacy is a GPhC-registered pharmacy (No. 9013192) — Superintendent Pharmacist: Palvinder Deol — Rated 4.8★ Excellent on Trustpilot- Wegovy® (semaglutide) UK Summary of Product Characteristics, including the 7.2mg maintenance dose, electronic Medicines Compendium.
- Wharton S, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide 7.2mg in adults with obesity (STEP UP). Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2025.
- MHRA. Approval of Wegovy 7.2mg maintenance dose, January 2026, and single-dose 7.2mg device, April 2026.
- Aronne LJ, et al. Tirzepatide vs Semaglutide (SURMOUNT-5). N Engl J Med. 2025.
- Lincoff AM, et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes (SELECT). N Engl J Med. 2023.