What you need to know
- The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Wegovi for use in pill form for weight loss treatment.
- Initial doses will be available in January
- Daily pill can replace weekly injection
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a pill version of Novo Nordisk’s drug Vegovy as a weight loss treatment.
The pill was approved for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight and at least one associated health condition.
The oral medication contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient in Vegovy and Ozempic, which are also made by Novo Nordisk and are primarily prescribed for type 2 diabetes.
The FDA had already approved oral semaglutide, called Rybelsus, made by Novo, for diabetes.
Daily pill could replace weekly injections for weight loss
Novo said a starting dose of 1.5 mg of the Wegovi pill would be available in early January and would cost $149 (€126) per month from some providers.
Additional information on costs will be available in January.
A daily pill gives doctors another option for prescribing GLP-1 drugs for obesity and may increase patient access and reduce costs.
Vegovy, as well as Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug Zepbound, are typically injected once a week.
According to the Trust for a Better Health, obesity is epidemic in the United States, where approximately 40% of adults and 21% of children and teens are obese. Obesity Status Report 2025,
One in eight Americans (or 12%) say they currently take GLP-1 medications for weight loss or another chronic condition. november voting By health policy research organization KFF.
But many people have trouble affording the expensive weekly shots.
Last month, US President Donald Trump announced deals with Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to lower the prices of some of their weight loss drugs in exchange for certainty around tariffs.
Novo looks to gain market share for weight loss pill ahead of rival Lilly
The approval could help promote a turnaround for the Danish pharmaceutical giant after a difficult year of declining shares and slow sales of its injectable Vegovi.
Lilly’s Zepbound currently dominates the US weight loss drug market.
Novo’s US-listed shares rose 8% after the announcement of approval of the Vegov pill.
Novo is manufacturing the pill in the United States and has been increasing supply of the pill “for some time” to ensure it has “ample supply,” said David Moore, executive vice president of Novo’s U.S. operations.
Lilly also has orforgaliprone, a daily weight loss pill under review for diabetes and weight loss. The FDA is expected to approve it in early 2026.
Novo’s oral semaglutide must be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or using any other oral medication.
Lilly’s pill won’t have those restrictions if approved.
Edited by: Sam Dusan Inayatullah