The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just approved the once-daily Wegovy pill, as the first oral GLP-1 medicine for obesity in the US.
“The launch of Wegovy in 2021 changed how obesity was viewed and treated in the US. Now, with Wegovy pill, we are offering a magnitude of weight loss that no other oral GLP-1 obesity candidate has been able to duplicate in phase 3 trials. We are confident that the expansion of Wegovy to a pill will help patients who may have not sought or accepted treatment before,” said Dave Moore, executive vice president, US Operations at Novo Nordisk.
The FDA approval of Wegovy pill is based on the results from the OASIS 4 phase 3 clinical trial, which was a 64-week medical study that included 307 adults with obesity or overweight with one or more weight-related comorbidities, without diabetes.
Results from the trial showed that if all patients stayed on treatment, people taking Wegovy pill once-daily along with a reduced calorie diet and exercise achieved an average weight loss of about 17% (16.6%) versus about 3% (2.7%) with placebo. When looking at the efficacy regardless of if all patients stayed on treatment, an average weight loss of about 14% (13.6%) was achieved by people taking Wegovy pill compared to about 2% (2.4%) for placebo.
“With more choices, HCPs are better equipped to tailor treatment approaches and support patients who want to gain control of their weight, and this milestone approval underscores exactly that kind of choice,” explained Timothy Garvey, MD, professor of medicine and director of the Diabetes Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “The availability of Wegovy pill expands the possibilities for weight management with semaglutide, giving healthcare professionals a powerful, efficacious medicine in a new method of delivery, allowing the ability to help meet more patients where they are.”
The starting dose of 1.5 mg will be available in pharmacies and select telehealth providers in early January with savings offers for just $149 per month. Additional information on coverage and savings options for eligible patients, including other programs designed to help reduce out-of-pocket costs, will also be available at that time.
“After many years advocating for people living with obesity, one thing has always been clear: patient safety has to come first. That’s why it’s critical we rely on treatments that are rigorously tested and FDA-approved,” said Joe Nadglowski, president and CEO of the Obesity Action Coalition. “A brand new effective pill for weight loss gives people greater flexibility to choose a GLP-1 treatment that can fit in their daily routine and preferences.”
The Wegovy pill is only approved in the US. Novo Nordisk expects to launch Wegovy pill in early January 2026, manufacturing them in their North Carolina facility.
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