- Novo Nordisk is the first drug manufacturer to market its weight-loss medication in pill form in the U.S.
- Patients on the Wegovy pill lost nearly 17% of body weight on average in a clinical trial.
- Over 100 million Americans struggle with obesity and related health issues.
A medication that’s been making news for strong results in terms of weight loss is now available in the U.S. in pill form. Novo Nordisk announced Monday that its popular semaglutide drug Wegovy is the “first and only oral GLP-1 for weight loss in adults.”
The starter dose in pill form is currently available and stronger doses will be available by the end of the week.
The company estimates that 100 million Americans live with obesity and said the pill can be used with a reduced-calorie diet and an increase in physical activity to see results. It also noted that the drug is available to those who are overweight and have weight-related medical problems.
A KFF survey found that 1 in 8 adults claim to be taking a GLP-1 drug for weight loss, diabetes or other health issues. And 1 in 5 said they have taken one of the drugs at some point.
GLP-1 is short for glucagon-like-peptide-1 and the drugs mimic the natural gut hormone, signaling the brain that hunger has been sated, among other actions.
Ed Cinca, senior vice president of marketing and patient solutions at Novo Nordisk, said that Wegovy in a once-daily pill allowed patients who stayed on the treatment to lose an average of close to 17% of their body weight. In the clinical trial of the pill form, those on placebo lost around 3% of their body weight. Whether they stayed on the drug or not, patients in the clinical trial lost about 14% compared to 2% weight loss for those on placebo.
Per the news release, millions have been prescribed Wegovy injections at a 2.4 mg dose for weight loss since 2021.
Reuters reported that Eli Lilly is also hoping to win U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for its weight-loss drug in pill form later this year.
Lilly manufactures Zepbound for weight loss and another GLP-1 medication called Mounjaro for diabetes. Its new pill-form drug has no brand name yet. Reuters noted that “Lilly’s injectable drug Zepbound has largely been ahead of Novo’s Wegovy in weekly U.S. prescriptions over the past year.”
The pill’s cost
The announcement said the starting dose pill (1.5 mg) is available for $149 a month. The pill form is “broadly available through 70,000-plus U.S. pharmacies” including Costco and CVS, as well as by way of some telehealth providers.
The 4 mg dose will be available through April 15 at the same price, then $199 a month after that. The highest dose will sell for $299 a month. Per the company, patients with commercial insurance may pay as little as $25 a month with the company’s savings offer, with a maximum savings of $100 a month. That doesn’t apply to those who are government beneficiaries.
Obesity risks and the pill’s side effects
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a number of factors impact one’s risk of having obesity, including “health behaviors, stress, health conditions and medications, genes and people’s environment.”
The risks from obesity include more likelihood of cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke or even death, as well as increased risk of diabetes, according to the CDC. Just over 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have obesity, defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher.
The notice said common side effects of Wegovy include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. It also noted that it is not known whether the tablets are safe and effective for use by those younger than 18.