The Tamesis
A pill form of the weight-loss drug Wegovy, made by Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, is now available in the United States, giving Americans access to an oral medication to treat obesity.
Daily Wegovy pills, starting at 1.5 mg, are now available for self-pay patients for $149 per month. Novo Nordisk announced Monday. The 4-milligram dose is available at the same price until April 15, after which the price will rise to $199.
Ed Cinca, senior vice president of marketing and patient solutions at Novo Nordisk, said in a statement that the new drug represents a “significant innovation” and described it as the “first and only” GLP-1 weight loss drug.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pill version Wegovy in December. Competitor Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug, Ofoglilonstill under FDA review.
The Novo Nordisk pill contains 25 mg of semaglutide, the same ingredient in the injections Wegovy and Ozempic. It also has side effects similar to those of the injectable drug, including nausea and diarrhea, according to Novo Nordisk.
The new Wegovy pill offers Americans a more convenient alternative to injectable treatments, which have dominated the weight loss market since their introduction. About one in eight Americans use GLP-1 injections to lose weight or treat other conditions, according to a recent survey by the nonprofit KFF.
Like the injectable version of Wegovy, the pill is designed to help patients lose weight through diet and exercise. Novo Nordisk said people who took the oral drug in Phase 3 of the clinical trial lost about 14% of their weight, while those who continued treatment lost about 17%.
