Novo Nordisk Study Reports Weight Loss After Patients Switch to Oral Wegovy

Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) released real-world data from the OCTANE study showing that adults with overweight or obesity who switched from injectable GLP-1 medicines to once-daily oral semaglutide, marketed as the Wegovy pill, lost an average of 4.1% of their body weight over three months.

The average reduction was 8.8 lbs, based on an average starting weight of 221.6 lbs.

Participants had previously used either tirzepatide or injectable semaglutide for weight management before switching to oral semaglutide.

The findings were presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Milan, Italy, on September 30, 2026.

OCTANE Study Uses Real-World Telehealth Data

The OCTANE study analysed de-identified data collected through the Ro telehealth platform.

Researchers evaluated adults with overweight or obesity who had previously received injectable GLP-1 medicines and subsequently switched to the once-daily Wegovy pill.

Over the three-month period, participants recorded average weight loss of 4.1%, equivalent to 8.8 lbs from an average baseline weight of 221.6 lbs.

The proportion of participants classified as living with obesity, defined as a body mass index of at least 30 kg/m², declined from 87.1% at baseline to 65.5% after three months.

Researchers Comment on Switch to Oral Semaglutide

Louis J. Aronne, MD, Director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine and a co-author of the study, said the results provide information on patients transitioning from injectable treatments to oral semaglutide.

“What the OCTANE data showed is that a switch to oral semaglutide may be a viable path for the right patient, with real weight loss and lifestyle improvements in the first three months,” Aronne said.

The study assessed outcomes observed after patients changed treatments but was not designed to establish whether oral semaglutide itself caused the reported changes.

Novo Nordisk Notes Limitations of Real-World Study

Novo Nordisk acknowledged several limitations associated with the OCTANE findings.

The timing and completeness of information collected during routine telehealth care varied among participants, while some of the data were self-reported and therefore subject to potential reporting bias.

The requirement for participants to persist with treatment could also introduce selection bias, and the findings may not be generalisable to a broader population.

As a real-world observational study, OCTANE can identify associations between treatment and outcomes but cannot establish causality.

Wegovy Pill Carries Boxed Warning

The Wegovy pill carries a Boxed Warning regarding the possible risk of thyroid tumours, including cancer.

It should not be used by people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or by patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2.

Common side effects associated with the treatment include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and constipation, among others.

The Wegovy pill is currently available in the United States, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Germany.

Novo Nordisk plans additional market launches in the coming quarters.

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