The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first daily oral version of the obesity drug Wegovy, giving Novo Nordisk an early advantage over competitors, including Eli Lilly, whose oral obesity therapy orforglipron is still under FDA review.
Both Wegovy and orforglipron belong to the GLP-1 class of drugs, mimicking a natural hormone that regulates appetite and fullness. The new Wegovy pill contains 25 mg of semaglutide, the same active ingredient used in Novo Nordisk’s injectable Wegovy and Ozempic products, as well as the diabetes pill Rybelsus.
Clinical trials show that patients taking oral Wegovy lost an average of 13.6% of total body weight over 15 months, compared with 2.2% for placebo. This is similar to the 15% average weight loss achieved with the injectable formulation.
The pill must be taken on an empty stomach with a small amount of water, with a 30-minute wait before eating or drinking. This formulation protects the drug from degradation in the stomach to ensure absorption and effectiveness.
Experts suggest that the oral option could broaden access to obesity treatments, reduce costs, and appeal to patients who prefer a pill over injections. Novo Nordisk expects the oral pill to be available within weeks, with some providers offering a starting dose of $149 per month.
The FDA approval highlights the growing market for oral obesity therapies and marks a significant step in making effective weight-loss treatments more widely accessible to millions of patients in the United States.
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