Novo Nordisk plans to launch a 1.5-milligram starting dose in early January, priced at $149 per month|Siebuhr|CC BY-NC 2.0
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the very first oral GLP-1 for weight loss. It is a pill version of Novo Nordisk’s hit obesity drug Wegovy.
Novo said the pill will be available in the US early next year.
The pill offers a more convenient choice for people who are uncomfortable with needles and may also be more affordable. It contains a higher dose of semaglutide because the body absorbs less of the drug when swallowed.
The Danish company plans to launch a 1.5-milligram starting dose in early January, priced at $149 per month. In a 64-week clinical trial, patients who took the pill daily, reduced their calorie intake, and exercised lost about 17% of their body weight. Those who received a placebo lost only 3%.
The company will manufacture the active ingredient in North Carolina, which could help avoid shortages and improve access for US patients.
Rival Eli Lilly is also testing a daily pill for obesity and diabetes called orforglipron.