Novo Nordisk announced on Monday (January 5) that its weight-loss drug Wegovy is now available in pill form in the United States. This marks a significant development in obesity treatment, as Wegovy was previously only available as an injectable. The new daily pill offers doses of 1.5 and 4 milligrams, priced at $149 per month for self-paying patients.

The pill is designed to help adults with obesity or those with excess weight and related medical issues lose weight, when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. It is not approved for use in individuals under 18. The drug uses semaglutide, the same active ingredient found in the injectable version, which mimics the gut hormone GLP-1 to suppress appetite.

Novo Nordisk's pill has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is available at over 70,000 pharmacies, including CVS and Costco, as well as through select telehealth providers. The company also announced that the pill is approved to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with obesity and established cardiovascular disease.

The launch of the Wegovy pill is expected to make weight-loss treatment more accessible and affordable. The cash prices for the pill range from $149 to $299 per month, which is significantly lower than the $1,000 monthly price tag for injections. The introduction of the pill comes as part of a deal with the Trump administration, which aims to make obesity drugs more affordable.

Rival company Eli Lilly is also developing an oral GLP-1 medication, which is expected to be approved by the FDA later this year. The competition between Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly in the GLP-1 space is expected to grow, with analysts predicting the market could be worth $100 billion by the 2030s.

Robbyn Hart