Prime Highlights
- FDA approval of Novo Nordisk’s oral GLP-1 pill marks a major step in making weight-loss treatments more accessible.
- The pill could encourage more patients to seek care, especially those preferring tablets over injections.
Key Facts
- The pill will launch in early 2026 at a starting dose of 1.5 mg, priced at $149 per month through pharmacies, telehealth, and TrumpRx.
- Clinical trials showed up to 16.6% average body weight loss over 64 weeks and approval also covers reducing cardiovascular risks in adults with obesity.
Background
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first oral GLP-1 pill for obesity, developed by Novo Nordisk, marking a big step in making weight loss treatment more accessible. Health experts say the pill could help more patients seek care, especially those who prefer tablets over injections.
Novo Nordisk said it plans to launch the pill in early 2026. From January, a starting dose of 1.5 milligrams will be available through pharmacies and select telehealth platforms at a monthly cost of $149, supported by savings offers. The same price will also apply to cash-paying users on President Donald Trump’s direct-to-consumer website, TrumpRx, which will go live in January under a deal with the drugmaker.
The FDA approval also allows the pill to be used to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, and death in adults with obesity and existing heart disease. The pill contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient used in Novo Nordisk’s injectable weight loss drug Wegovy, and works by suppressing appetite through the GLP-1 hormone pathway.
Novo Nordisk said higher-dose pricing and insurance coverage details will be shared closer to launch. Following the announcement, the company’s shares rose nearly 10% in extended trading.
Clinical trial data showed that patients using a higher dose of the pill lost an average of up to 16.6% of their body weight over 64 weeks. Patients must wait 30 minutes before eating or drinking after taking the pill, a requirement the company says will not affect long-term use.
The approval gives Novo Nordisk an advantage over rival Eli Lilly, which is developing its own obesity pill. Analysts estimate the global weight loss drug market could reach $100 billion by the 2030s, with pills expected to play a major role.
