"The US Food and Drug Administration today approved a pill version of the blockbuster anti-obesity drug Wegovy. Made by Novo Nordisk, the pill is taken once a day. The company's original version of Wegovy is a weekly injection. Both drugs contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide. "This allows patients with obesity who want to lose weight to have a choice between a once weekly injection or a daily tablet," says Martin Holst Lange, chief scientific officer at Novo Nordisk."
"In clinical trial results published in the New England Journal of Medicine, participants who took the pill achieved an average weight loss of 13.6 percent by 64 weeks. Nearly 30 percent of people lost 20 percent or more of their weight. The study also showed improvements in cardiovascular disease risk and physical activity levels similar to the injectable version. While pills can sometimes be a more convenient option, patients may not always take them as prescribed, making them less effective."
FDA approved a once-daily oral formulation of semaglutide branded as a pill version of Wegovy that offers an alternative to the weekly injectable. The pill contains the same active ingredient and produced average weight loss of 13.6 percent by 64 weeks, with nearly 30 percent of participants losing 20 percent or more. Cardiovascular risk markers and physical activity improved similarly to the injectable. Investigators estimate perfect daily adherence would increase average weight loss to about 16.6 percent, comparable to the injection. The oral Wegovy is a higher-dose version of Rybelsus, previously approved for type 2 diabetes.
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