Pill version of weight-loss drug Wegovy gets approval from US regulators

THE US FOOD and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the pill form of the popular weight-loss drug Wegovy, according to Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk. 

It is the first daily oral medication to be approved for treatment of obesity. 

“With today’s approval of the Wegovy pill, patients will have a convenient, once-daily pill that can help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection,” Mike Doustdar, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk, said in a statement.

The company said that during trials involving 1,300 adults, the pill showed an average weight loss of 16.6%, while a third of participants experienced 20% or greater weight loss.

Novo Nordisk plans to launch the pill in early January 2026. 

The FDA had already approved a pill to be used for treating diabetes, but the new development now allows doctors to prescribe the treatment for weight loss to adults with obesity or who are overweight with at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as a heart condition. 

The news was welcomed by the US Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN), a nonprofit advocacy group for adults with obesity.

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“This development represents an important opportunity for people living with obesity, offering an alternative for those hesitant to begin injectable therapy and providing a potentially lower-cost option,” the group said in a statement to AFP.

The prevalence of obesity among American adults is estimated at 40%, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The new generation of appetite-suppressing drugs using GLP-1 agonists, including the brands Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, have exploded in popularity in recent years due to their ability to help people lose weight.

US President Donald Trump last month announced deals with Novo Nordisk as well as Eli Lilly to lower the prices of some of their weight-loss drugs in exchange for certainty around tariffs.

“It’s a triumph for American patients that will save lives and improve the health of millions and millions of Americans,” Trump told reporters at the time.

The drugs, which can cost more than $1,000 a month for US residents, could offer starting oral doses for as little as $150 under the deal, though the price for injectables would be higher.

Trump has revived drug pricing efforts from his first presidential term, taking steps since returning to the White House to pressure pharmaceutical companies into voluntarily lowering their prices.

He has previously threatened tariffs of 100% for branded pharmaceuticals unless companies built their manufacturing plants in the US.

With reporting from © AFP 2025

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