Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill, the first and only oral GLP-1 for weight loss in adults, now broadly available across America

• Average weight loss of ~17% if all patients stayed on treatment* with Wegovy^® (semaglutide) tablets 25 mg (~14% regardless of if patients stayed on treatment**) in the OASIS 4 trial¹
• Starting dose of Wegovy^® pill (1.5 mg) available today for only $149 per month (or $5 per day) via easy to access self-pay offer
• Wegovy^® pill now broadly available through 70,000+ US pharmacies such as CVS and Costco, select telehealth providers including Ro, LifeMD and Weight Watchers, NovoCare^® Pharmacy, GoodRx and more

PLAINSBORO, N.J.and BAGSVÆRD, Denmark, Jan. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wegovy^® pill is now available, providing those seeking help with their weight the revolutionary science of GLP-1 medicine in a pill for the first time. This advancement opens new possibilities for the more than 100 million Americans living with obesity.² Wegovy^® pill was approved on December 22, 2025 and is used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity for adults with obesity, or with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems, to help them lose weight and keep it off.³

"We know there are people who are interested in addressing their weight but have been waiting on the sidelines for a medicine that was right for them. For many of them, that wait is over as we can now offer the powerful efficacy of Wegovy^® in a once-daily pill that demonstrated about 17% weight loss, if all patients stayed on treatment," said Ed Cinca, senior vice president, Marketing & Patient Solutions at Novo Nordisk. "Wegovy^® pill is here, and it represents a significant innovation as the first and only GLP-1 pill for weight loss. This moment is about changing what's possible in weight management, and to make that possible, we have worked to ensure Wegovy^® pill is affordable and accessible to those who need it, however they choose to receive their care."

Wegovy^® is backed by proven results, as millions have been prescribed Wegovy^® (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg for weight management since 2021.⁴ Wegovy^® pill offers a magnitude of weight loss that no other oral GLP-1 obesity candidate has been able to duplicate in phase 3 trials, boasting an average weight loss of about 17% (16.6%), when used along with a reduced calorie diet and exercise and if all patients stayed on treatment, compared to about 3% (2.7%) for placebo.^*1 When looking at the efficacy regardless of if all patients stayed on treatment, an average weight loss of about 14% (13.6%) was achieved by people taking Wegovy^® pill compared to about 2% (2.4%) for placebo.^**1 

With once-daily oral dosing, Wegovy^® pill can provide patients with a practical option as part of their daily routine to help people achieve meaningful weight loss.  

For Wegovy^® pill based on baseline body weight of 235 lb., and for placebo based on baseline body weight of 231 lb.¹ 

In OASIS 4, common adverse reactions were similar to those previously seen in clinical trials with Wegovy^® (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg, including nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.¹  

Novo Nordisk continues to pursue innovative delivery models and strategic collaborations to meet people where they are, reaching more patients in more ways. This is designed to help patients obtain authentic, FDA-approved medicines and avoid potentially unsafe, unapproved alternatives. Wegovy^® is available through a range of options including US pharmacies such as CVS and Costco, select telehealth providers including Ro, LifeMD and Weight Watchers, NovoCare^® Pharmacy, GoodRx and others. 

Wegovy^® pill is available to all eligible patients with multiple affordability options. Self-pay patients can start at around $5/day ($149/month) for the starting dose of 1.5 mg. The 4 mg dose will also be available for $149/month through April 15, 2026, then $199/month after, and the highest doses of Wegovy^® pill will be available for $299. Commercially insured patients pay as little as $25/month with the Wegovy^® savings offer.^† 

Wegovy^® pill is only approved in the US and will be available in 1.5 mg (starter dose), 4 mg, 9 mg, and 25 mg.³ For updates and information about the Wegovy^® pill, please visit www.Wegovy.com.

^* Based on the trial product estimand: estimated efficacy in an idealized scenario in which all patients stayed on treatment and took no other weight loss therapies. 

^** Based on the treatment policy estimand: treatment effect regardless of if patients stayed on treatment or took other weight loss therapies. 

^† Pay as little as $25, subject to a maximum savings of $100/month. Government beneficiaries excluded. Novo Nordisk reserves the right to modify or cancel this program at any time. See WegovyTerms.com for full terms.

About Wegovy^® pill

Wegovy^® pill is the first oral GLP-1 medicine for obesity in the US, and is used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity for adults with obesity, or with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems, to help them lose weight and keep it off. Wegovy^® pill is also indicated to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease.³ 

The FDA approval of Wegovy^® pill is based on the results from the OASIS 4 phase 3 clinical trial, which was a 64-week medical study that included 307 adults with obesity or overweight with one or more weight-related comorbidities, without diabetes. Results showed that people taking Wegovy^® pill once-daily along with a reduced calorie diet and exercise achieved an average weight loss of about 14% (13.6%) versus 2.4% with placebo.^** If all patients stayed on treatment, an average weight loss of about 17% (16.6%)  was achieved by people taking Wegovy^® pill compared to 2.7% for placebo.^* For those taking Wegovy^® pill, 76% achieved 5% or greater body weight loss (from a baseline body weight of 235 lb) versus 31% taking placebo (from a baseline body weight of 231 lb.).¹ 

About obesity

Obesity is a serious, chronic, progressive, and complex disease that requires long-term management.^5-7 One key misunderstanding is that this is a disease of just lack of willpower, when in fact there is underlying biology that may impede people with obesity from losing weight and keeping it off.^5,7 Obesity is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, social determinants of health, and the environment.^1,8

What is Wegovy^®?

Wegovy^® (semaglutide) injection 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg and Wegovy^® (semaglutide) tablets 25 mg are prescription medicines used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to: 

• reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
• help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy^® (semaglutide) injection 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg is used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to help children 12 years and older with obesity to lose weight and keep the weight off 

Wegovy^® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines. 

It is not known if Wegovy^® injection is safe and effective: 

• to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years
• to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off

It is not known if Wegovy^® tablets are safe and effective for use in people under 18 years of age. 

Important Safety Information 

What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy^®? 

Wegovy^® may cause serious side effects, including: 

• Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy^® and medicines that work like Wegovy^® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy^® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
• Do not use Wegovy^® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)

Do not use Wegovy^® if: 

• you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
• you have had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of the ingredients in Wegovy^® injection or Wegovy^® tablets. See symptoms of serious allergic reaction in "What are the possible side effects of Wegovy^®?"

Before using Wegovy^®, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical conditions, including if you: 

• have or have had problems with your pancreas or kidneys
• have type 2 diabetes and a history of diabetic retinopathy
• have or have had depression, suicidal thoughts, or mental health issues
• are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Wegovy^® may harm your unborn baby. You should stop using Wegovy^® 2 months before you plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with Wegovy^® tablets. It is not known if Wegovy^® when received through an injection passes into your breast milk

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Wegovy^® may affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect the way Wegovy^® works. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other medicines to treat diabetes, including sulfonylureas or insulin. Wegovy^® slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly. 

What are the possible side effects of Wegovy^®? 

Wegovy^® may cause serious side effects, including: 

• inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Wegovy^® and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without nausea or vomiting. Sometimes you may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back
• gallbladder problems. Wegovy^® may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Some gallstones may need surgery. Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms, such as pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools
• increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), especially those who also take medicines for diabetes such as insulin or sulfonylureas. This can be a serious side effect. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before you start and while you take Wegovy^®. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include dizziness or light-headedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability or mood changes, sweating, slurred speech, hunger, confusion or drowsiness, shakiness, weakness, headache, fast heartbeat, or feeling jittery
• dehydration leading to kidney problems. Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration), which may cause kidney problems. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that does not go away
• severe stomach problems. Stomach problems, sometimes severe, have been reported in people who use Wegovy^®. Tell your healthcare provider if you have stomach problems that are severe or will not go away
• serious allergic reactions. Stop using Wegovy^® and get medical help right away, if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; or very rapid heartbeat
• change in vision in people with type 2 diabetes. Tell your healthcare provider if you have changes in vision during treatment with Wegovy^®
• increased heart rate. Wegovy^® can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes
• depression or thoughts of suicide. You should pay attention to any mental changes, especially sudden changes in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any mental changes that are new, worse, or worry you
• food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). Wegovy^® may increase the chance of food getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Wegovy^® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures

The most common side effects of Wegovy^® may include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdomen) pain, headache, tiredness (fatigue), upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and runny nose or sore throat.

Please click here for Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide for Wegovy^®.  

About Novo Nordisk

Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company that's been making innovative medicines to help people with diabetes lead longer, healthier lives for more than 100 years. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to drive change to help people defeat other serious chronic diseases such as obesity, rare blood, and endocrine disorders. We remain steadfast in our conviction that the formula for lasting success is to stay focused, think long-term, and do business in a financially, socially, and environmentally responsible way. With a US presence spanning 40 years, Novo Nordisk US is headquartered in New Jersey and employs over 10,000 people throughout the country across 12 manufacturing, R&D and corporate locations in eight states plus Washington DC. For more information, visit novonordisk-us.com, Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Contacts for further information

References:

1. Wharton S, Lingvay I, Bogdanski P, et al. Oral semaglutide 25 mg in adults with overweight or obesity. N Engl J Med. 2025; 393:1077-1087. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2500969. 
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult obesity facts. Last accessed: December 2025. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult-obesity-facts/index.html.  
3. Wegovy^® (semaglutide) Prescribing Information. Plainsboro, NJ. Novo Nordisk Inc.
4. IQVIA LAAD Rx for the period of June 2021 to July 2024.
5. Kaplan LM, Golden A, Jinnett K, et al. Perceptions of barriers to effective obesity care: results from the national action study. Obesity. 2018;26(1):61–69.
6. Bray GA, Kim KK, Wilding JPH; World Obesity Federation. Obesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation. Obes Rev. 2017;18(7):715–723.
7. Garvey WT, Mechanick JI, Brett EM, et al. American association of clinical endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocr Pract. 2016;22 (Suppl 3):1–203.
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Risk Factors for Obesity. Last accessed: December 2025. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/risk-factors/risk-factors.html.
   
   
   
   

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