Federal authorities green‑light Wegovy for people seeking weight loss
On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an oral formulation of semaglutide marketed as Wegovy, providing Novo Nordisk with a first‑mover advantage while Eli Lilly’s oral candidate, orforglipron, remains in review.
Semaglutide belongs to the GLP‑1 receptor‑acting class and works by mimicking a hormone that regulates appetite and satiety. Both the injectable version of Wegovy and other GLP‑1 drugs such as Ozempic use the same active ingredient.
In a phase‑III trial, participants receiving the oral Wegovy lost an average of 13.6 % of body weight during roughly 15 months, compared with 2.2 % weight loss among those taking placebo. The average reduction is similar to the 15 % observed with injectable semaglutide.
Trials of Lilly’s orforglipron reported an 11.2 % average weight loss over nearly 17 months, versus 2.1 % for placebo, while the injectable Zepbound achieved about 21 %. All GLP‑1 medicines can produce nausea, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal side effects.
The pill must be taken with water on an empty stomach and observed for 30 minutes before food or drink to protect the drug from digestion. It is expected to reach patients within weeks and costs $149 per month at some pharmacies.