Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk announced Monday that Americans can now use its weight-loss drug Wegovy in pill form.
An oral GLP-1 weight loss drug for adults was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December. It is the first and only oral medication approved by the FDA as an alternative to the injectable versions of Wegovy and Ozempic, both of which contain the active ingredient semaglutide.
Novo Nordisk said the pill version is cheaper to produce than the weekly injectable version and does not require refrigeration, making the drug more accessible, convenient and an alternative for people who are needle-averse.
A press release from Novo Nordisk said the daily oral Wegovy pill, which is very similar to the injection, is designed to be used “in adults with obesity or overweight adults with weight-related health problems to help them lose weight and maintain weight while on a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.”
The drugmaker also claims the drug can “reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), such as death, heart attack, or stroke, in adults who are overweight or obese and who have existing cardiovascular disease.”
How does it work?
The drug is an oral form of semaglutide that works like a hormone — GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) — that regulates appetite and helps control how much food you eat. This drug works like hormones and suppresses appetite, thereby promoting weight loss.
Novo Nordisk says you must take this medicine every day, 30 minutes before any other medicines, food or coffee.
What is the average weight loss after taking birth control pills?
Novo Nordisk reported similar weight loss results in people using the oral and injectable drugs in clinical trials. In a phase III clinical trial of the pill, patients lost about 14% of their body weight when combined with a low-calorie diet and exercise. Those who continued treatment lost about 17% of their body weight compared with those who received a placebo, which lost about 3%.
Do oral medications have side effects?
The drugmaker Wegovy said side effects from the oral drug were similar to those seen in clinical trials of the injectable drug, including nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
How do you get it?
Wegovy pills are only available in the United States with a doctor’s prescription. The drugmaker said patients can purchase it at pharmacies nationwide such as CVS and Costco, as well as through select telemedicine companies such as Ro, LifeMD and Weight Watchers, NovoCare Pharmacy, and GoodRx.
What’s the fare?
If oral medications are covered by insurance, patients’ monthly copays can be $25 or less.
According to Novo Nordisk, if the oral drug is not covered by insurance, the price may vary depending on the dosage and range between $149 and $299.
By comparison, the injectable version of Wegovy costs about $300 per month without insurance.
Are there any other manufacturers planning to release GLP-1 pills?
Novo Nordisk rival Eli Lilly also makes its oral GLP-1 pill, forglipron. It is currently under review by the FDA and is expected to be approved for consumer use this year.
