Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk seems to have taken a leap in the market with its new oral weight loss drug. Novo Nordisk has won the race to secure approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first weight-loss drug to be administered orally.
Novo Nordisk has achieved a major breakthrough in obesity treatment with FDA approval of its new oral weight‑loss medication — the first of its kind ever cleared for long‑term use. The drug, sold under the brand name Wegovy in a once‑daily pill form containing semaglutide 25 mg, joins its well-known injectable counterpart but offers the convenience of a tablet, making effective chronic weight management more accessible for people who prefer to avoid injections.
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FDA’s decision, announced late Monday, was based on results from the OASIS 4 phase‑3 clinical trial, which showed that participants taking the oral Wegovy pill lost, on average, around 16.6 % of body weight over 64 weeks, far exceeding placebo results and comparable to the efficacy of the weekly injection.
The trial also demonstrated meaningful reductions in major cardiovascular risk factors alongside weight loss. Clinicians and public health experts have long viewed oral formulations as a major advance because many patients are hesitant about injections. The pill is expected to retail around $149 per month and be available through pharmacies and telehealth partners.
Beyond its clinical impact, the approval gives Novo Nordisk a strategic advantage over competitors, notably Eli Lilly, which is developing its own oral weight‑loss therapy, orforglipron. The weight‑loss drug market has surged in recent years due to the popularity of GLP‑1 receptor agonists and growing demand for effective interventions as obesity rates rise worldwide.
Novo Nordisk’s chief executive officer Mike Doustdar, who took the helm at Denmark’s largest company in August, and has been trying to turn around the stock’s fortunes since, said: “Patients will have a convenient, once-daily pill that can help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection.”
The approval of an oral weight-loss therapy highlights the evolving landscape of obesity treatment, where patient convenience and accessibility are increasingly central. This development underscores the growing emphasis on long-term, sustainable interventions for chronic health conditions, reflecting a broader shift in healthcare toward solutions that are both effective and adaptable to daily life. As obesity continues to pose significant public health challenges worldwide, innovations like oral therapies could help bridge gaps in treatment adherence and patient engagement.