FDA Approves First Obesity Pill

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first daily pill designed to treat obesity, marking a major milestone in weight loss care.

The newly approved medication is an oral version of Wegovy, produced by Novo Nordisk. 

It contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient used in the injectable versions of Wegovy and Ozempic, as well as the diabetes drug Rybelsus.

Regulators’ decision gives Novo Nordisk an advantage over competitor Eli Lilly, whose oral obesity drug, orforglipron, is still under FDA review. 

Both medications belong to a class of drugs known as GLP-1s, which work by mimicking a hormone that regulates appetite and feelings of fullness.

In a large clinical trial, patients taking the Wegovy pill lost an average of 13.6 percent of their body weight over about fifteen months. 

That compares with a 2.2 percent loss among patients who took a placebo. Results were similar to those seen with injectable Wegovy.

Experts say the pill could significantly expand access to obesity treatment. 

While about one in eight Americans has tried injectable GLP-1 drugs, many report difficulty affording the weekly shots or discomfort with injections.

The pill must be taken daily with a small sip of water on an empty stomach, followed by a thirty-minute wait before eating or drinking. 

Like other GLP-1 drugs, side effects can include nausea and diarrhea.

Novo Nordisk says the oral Wegovy pill is expected to be available within weeks.