Has anyone compared Wegovy and Contrave in the same trial?

No head-to-head trial has compared these two drugs. Wegovy's figures come from STEP 1 (68 weeks) and Contrave's from COR-BMOD (56 weeks), which enrolled different people for different lengths of time. Numbers from separate trials can be read side by side, but they are not a measured difference.

What does each one cost per month?

Wegovy is listed at ~$1,350/month. Contrave is listed at $100–$400/month. The full price note for each is set out in the cost section above. What you pay depends on your insurance, your dose and your pharmacy.

Can I switch from Wegovy to Contrave?

Switching between weight-loss medicines is a decision for the prescriber who knows your history, your other medicines and how you have responded so far — this site cannot make it for you. What switching involves in practice, including dose steps and the gap between drugs, is set out on the switching page.

Which side effects were reported most often?

In STEP 1 (68 weeks), the reaction reported most often with semaglutide was nausea — 44% of participants. In COR-I (56 weeks), the reaction reported most often with naltrexone / bupropion ER was nausea — 33% of participants. Rates come from different trials with different participants, and a rate is not a prediction for any one person.

Wegovy vs Contrave: trials compared

At a glance

Wegovy and Contrave compared on form, trial results, cost and reported side effects
	Wegovy	Contrave
Form	Weekly injection	Twice-daily tablet
How often	Injection: once-weekly	Twice-daily oral tablet — no injection
Weight loss in trials	Up to 14.9% — STEP 1 (68 weeks)	Up to 9.3% — COR-BMOD (56 weeks)
FDA approved	2021	2014
Made by	Novo Nordisk	Currax Pharmaceuticals
How it works	A GLP-1 analogue with an extended half-life of approximately one week.	Bupropion activates appetite-suppressing nerve cells in the brain's hunger control centre (the hypothalamus).
Monthly cost, self-pay	~$1,350/mo	$100–$400/mo
Most reported reaction	Nausea 44% (STEP 1)	Nausea 33% (COR-I)

Every figure in this table is read from the same trial and label records used everywhere else on this site.

Weight loss in each drug's main trial

No head-to-head trial has compared these two drugs.

Wegovy(semaglutide)14.9%

STEP 1 (68 weeks)

Contrave(naltrexone / bupropion ER)9.3%

COR-BMOD (56 weeks)

In clinical trials, participants taking semaglutide lost on average up to 14.9% of their starting body weight, and participants taking naltrexone / bupropion ER lost on average up to 9.3%. Those numbers come from two different studies: STEP 1 enrolled 1,961 adults with obesity or overweight with comorbidities, no type 2 diabetes over 68 weeks against placebo, while COR-BMOD enrolled adults with obesity, with intensive behaviour therapy over 56 weeks against placebo + intensive behaviour therapy. Who took part, how long each trial ran and what each drug was measured against all move the percentage, so the two figures are not a measured difference between the drugs.

Monthly cost, self-pay

The bar spans the range in each drug's price record — lowest listed price to highest.

Wegovy~$1,350/mo

Injection: ~$1,350/month list price. Novo Nordisk NovoCare programme available. The Wegovy pill is priced separately (see the oral pill entry).

Contrave$100–$400/mo

~$100–$400/month (brand). Generic available in some markets.

Self-pay prices are what the manufacturer or the pharmacy lists, not what most people end up paying. Wegovy: ~$1,350/month. Contrave: $100–$400/month. Insurance, dose and pharmacy all change both figures.

Side effects reported in the trials

Both trials reported 3 reactions in common. Each rate is the percentage of participants who reported it in the trial named beside it, so the two columns are not from the same study.

Nausea

Wegovy · STEP 144%

Contrave · COR-I33%

Vomiting

Wegovy · STEP 124%

Contrave · COR-I11%

Constipation

Wegovy · STEP 124%

Contrave · COR-I19%

A rate is the share of trial participants who reported that reaction, not a prediction for any one person.

How they differ in practice

How you take it

Wegovy — Two forms: once-weekly injection (2.4 mg) OR once-daily pill (25 mg). Same drug, similar results, very different cost and convenience.
Contrave — Oral extended-release tablet, twice daily

Dose build-up

Contrave — titrated to 32/360 mg/day over 4 weeks

Where a drug is not listed here, its prescribing information sets out its own dose steps.

How soon it acts

Wegovy — Noticeable effects within 4–8 weeks; maximum weight loss typically reached by 60–68 weeks
Contrave — Appetite and craving changes typically within 4–8 weeks; significant weight loss by 16–24 weeks

Heart and metabolic findings

Wegovy — The SELECT trial (n=17,604) demonstrated a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE — heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death) vs. placebo in adults with established cardiovascular disease and obesity, without diabetes.
Contrave — The LIGHT cardiovascular outcomes trial was terminated early due to a protocol violation and did not provide a definitive answer on CV outcomes.

As stated in each drug’s trial record — not a claim about which drug protects the heart more.

Other findings recorded

Wegovy — 20% reduction in heart attacks and strokes (SELECT trial, established CVD); improved blood pressure and cholesterol across STEP trials
Contrave — May help specifically with emotional eating and food cravings; bupropion's antidepressant effect may be beneficial if low mood contributes to overeating

If you stop taking it

Wegovy — In STEP 4, stopping semaglutide after a 20-week run-in led to significant weight regain.
Contrave — Weight regain after stopping is expected.

Common questions

Written and maintained by one person · Built with agentic AI tools · Every number checked against the cited trial · Not medical advice

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Last reviewed: September 2026

Medical disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment.