First oral pill to treat obesity has been approved by FDA
Move over weight loss jabs, as there's about to be a new sheriff in town.
Treatments available for obesity in the US are set to undergo an overhaul in the New Year, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a pill version of Wegovy.
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, who make the semaglutide-based medication as well as Ozempic, announced the news on Monday (22 December).
Producing the weight-loss drug in pill form will provide a more 'convenient option' for folks in the States who want to tackle their excess weight, the drug manufacturers said.
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Swallowing a tablet once a day is obviously a lot easier than injecting yourself once a week - and the FDA's approval of the pill is set to mark the beginning of a new era for weight loss medication.
It's the first time that a daily oral medication to treat obesity has been approved by the FDA, so it's a pretty big deal.
Novo Nordisk said that the pill can successfully 'reduce excess body weight, maintain weight reduction long term and reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events'.
The daily tablet promises to be just as effective as the Wegovy jab, as research found that it can help overweight or obese patients reduce their body weight by 16.6 percent.
Promisingly, a third of people involved in the study actually achieved a higher weight loss with the oral medication rather than injectables.
One man who took part in the trial which began in 2022 - paediatric lung doctor Chris Mertens - lost around 40lb with the help of the Wegovy pill, The Guardian reports.
He said that it effectively reduced his appetite while also getting food off of his mind, as he added: "If there were days where I missed a meal, I almost didn’t realise it."
When announcing the news that the FDA has given the pill the green light, Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar said: "The pill is here.
"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.
"As the first oral GLP-1 treatment for people living with overweight or obesity, the Wegovy pill provides patients with a new, convenient treatment option that can help patients start or continue their weight loss journey.
"No other current oral GLP-1 treatment can match the weight loss delivered by the Wegovy pill, and we are very excited for what this will mean for patients in the US."
People in the States don't have that long to wait for it either, as the firm explained that they expect to launch the Wegovy alternative in early January 2026.
Health care professionals recommend taking the new tablet as soon as you wake up with just a small amount of water.
Users should do so at least 30 minutes before eating or taking any other medications, experts say.
Americans have been warned that the pill has similar reported side effects as the Wegovy jab - such as nausea, diarrhoea, stomach pains, vomiting and constipation.
Novo Nordisk said that starting doses will be available for around $149 a month, which is significantly cheaper than the injectable version.
We're set to get the full lowdown on the Wegovy pill when it's rolled out in January - so keep your eyes peeled.
Olivia Burke