Wegovy pill wins FDA approval, adding oral option for weight loss
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a daily oral version of Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug Wegovy, marking a new step in expanding access to GLP-1 therapies that have reshaped obesity care, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The newly approved Wegovy pill contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient used in injectable Wegovy and the diabetes drug Ozempic. Unlike weekly injections, the pill is taken once a day and is expected to be available by prescription in the United States starting in January, according to the company.
Novo Nordisk says clinical trials showed the pill produced weight loss broadly comparable to the injectable version. In studies, patients taking the Wegovy pill lost an average of about 14% of their body weight over 64 weeks, compared with 2% among those receiving a placebo. The injectable Wegovy showed around 15% weight loss in its main trial.
Gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea and vomiting were the most commonly reported adverse effects, consistent with other GLP-1 drugs. About 7% of participants in the Wegovy pill trial discontinued treatment due to side effects, compared with 6% in the placebo group.
Under an agreement announced in November, the starting dose of the Wegovy pill will cost $149 for patients paying out of pocket. Higher doses are expected to cost more, though exact prices have not been disclosed. Patients with insurance coverage are likely to face lower copayments.
The Wegovy pill is one of two oral GLP-1 drugs expected to reach the market soon. Eli Lilly’s oral candidate, orforglipron, is anticipated to receive FDA clearance by summer. In separate trials, orforglipron showed average weight loss of about 11% over 72 weeks at its highest dose.
One distinction between the two oral drugs is how they are taken. The Wegovy pill must be taken on an empty stomach with a small amount of water, with no food, drink, or other medications for 30 minutes afterward. By contrast, Lilly has said orforglipron can be taken at any time of day without such restrictions.
Experts note that oral GLP-1 drugs may appeal to patients who are reluctant to use injections, particularly for long-term weight maintenance. Researchers are also closely watching broader health effects associated with the drug class, including reductions in cardiovascular risk, sleep apnea, and improvements in liver function.
Doctors emphasize that treatment decisions will continue to depend on effectiveness, safety, tolerability, and cost, as more options become available in a rapidly evolving field.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported on concerns raised in recent months about a potential link between semaglutide-based medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy, and a rare eye condition known as nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).
