People using injectable GLP-1 treatments to manage diabetes and promote weight loss now have a new option, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Wegovy pill from Novo Nordisk on December 22. The once-daily pill contains 25 mg of semaglutide, the same active compound in the injectable version, and is intended for people who want to start a weight-loss program or maintain their weight loss. By comparison, the injectable version is administered once a week.
Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar said the pill provides a convenient alternative for people who may be reluctant to use injections. “I am excited to launch the pill because I’ve recognized that so many people right now are in need of weight loss but are still not going forward with medications like Wegovy because there is a taboo with injections,” he said. “They want to swallow a pill without being judged if someone sees them injecting a medication. We waited to make sure that when the pill comes out, it’s the right one and the most efficacious one.”
In clinical trials submitted to the FDA, participants who took the daily Wegovy pill lost roughly the same amount of weight—about 16.6% of their body mass—as those using weekly injections over a year. The pill uses proprietary technology to protect semaglutide from stomach acids and digestive enzymes, ensuring it remains effective after oral administration, said Andrea Traina, medical director at Novo Nordisk. “The average exposure levels of the two formulations are consistent,” she noted.
Wegovy is not Novo Nordisk’s first oral GLP-1. Rybelsus, approved in 2019, treats diabetes, while the new pill contains roughly double the highest Rybelsus dose, a level necessary to produce meaningful weight loss. Both versions of Wegovy also carry the potential benefit of lowering the risk of heart disease due to the semaglutide ingredient.
The FDA approval of the Wegovy pill marks the first oral GLP-1 therapy authorized for obesity treatment in the U.S. The approval comes just days after Eli Lilly submitted its own GLP-1 pill, orforglipron, for FDA consideration to help patients maintain weight loss following a year of injectable therapy. Lilly received a Commissioner’s Priority Voucher in November, which could speed up the review process.
Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have both partnered with the White House to make GLP-1 drugs, including the pills, more affordable. For people paying out of pocket or using government programs, the maintenance dose of Wegovy pills will cost $149 for a month’s supply. Novo Nordisk plans to launch the pill in January 2026.
The approval provides a new option for millions seeking effective weight-loss solutions and underscores growing demand for convenient alternatives to injectable therapies.
