The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it has approved a pill version of the weight loss drug Wegovy. Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk.
It was the first pill to be approved by regulators, ushering in a new era of weight loss drugs.
Wegovy’s Danish manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, said the once-daily pill was a “convenient option” to injectables. Provides the same weight loss benefits as injections. This comes after Wegovy received FDA approval specifically for weight loss.
Other products, such as Ozempic, which have similar weight loss effects, are primarily approved to treat type 2 diabetes.
The BBC has contacted the FDA for comment.
The Wegovy pill resulted in an average weight loss of 16.6% during Novo Nordisk’s trial, the company said Monday.
It added that one-third of the roughly 1,300 participants experienced weight loss of more than 20 percent in the same trial.
This birth control pill is scheduled to be released in the United States in early January 2026.
“Patients will have a convenient once-daily pill that can help them lose weight just as much as the original Wegovy shot,” said Mike Doustdar, the company’s CEO.
Wegovy’s pill version could boost Novo Nordisk’s sales after a difficult year that saw its shares fall as it warned about profits.
The company faces stiff competition from rival pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly in the weight loss market.
Shares of Novo Nordisk rose nearly 10% in after-hours trading in New York following the announcement.
