Novo Nordisk’s daily Wegovy pill costs around $25 or between $149 and $299 monthly without insurance|Novo Nordisk|@novonordisk|X
Danish pharma Novo Nordisk’s very first oral GLP-1 for weight loss in adults is now available by prescription across US pharmacies and via telehealth.
The daily Wegovy pill, approved by the FDA in December, slows stomach emptying and curbs appetite, helping users lose weight.
Dave Moore, Novo’s operations director, said the company is making the pill accessible through insurance, major retailers like CVS and Costco, and telehealth partners from day one.
The pill is easier to take than weekly injectables, doesn’t require refrigeration, and is cheaper to produce. It needs to be taken 30 minutes before food, drink, or other medications.
Copays run around $25 or between $149 and $299 monthly without insurance. Clinical trials show similar weight loss and side effects as injectables, mainly nausea and diarrhea.
American pharma giant Eli Lilly is also close to launching a competing GLP-1 pill.