The weight-loss drug Wegovy is coming in pill form — and it’s much cheaper than the shots.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a once-daily oral version of Wegovy, giving patients a needle-free alternative to the weekly injection, drugmaker Novo Nordisk said on Monday.
The approval makes Wegovy the first pill-based GLP-1 drug cleared specifically for weight management. It contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient used in the injection, the company said.
Novo Nordisk said it expects to launch the pill in the US in early January. A 1.5 milligram starting dose will be available through pharmacies and select telehealth providers for $149 per month.
That price is lower than the list price for injectable Wegovy, which costs about $1,350 a month before insurance or discounts. Novo Nordisk said it will share more details on coverage and savings options for higher doses and eligible patients closer to launch.
“With today’s approval of the Wegovy pill, patients will have a convenient, once-daily pill that can help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection,” said Mike Doustdar, the CEO of Novo Nordisk.
The pill is approved for adults with obesity or those who are overweight with “at least one weight-related health condition.” It is also approved to help reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks or strokes, in certain patients, the company said.
In a late-stage clinical trial, over 300 patients taking the pill lost an average of 16.6% of their body weight over about 64 weeks when they stayed on treatment. Novo Nordisk said the result is comparable to the weight loss seen with the injectable version of Wegovy.
Side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting were similar to those reported with injections, the company added.
Demand for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs has surged in recent years despite the high cost.
Health policy research group KFF surveyed more than 1,300 adult Americans online and by phone in late October and early November, and found that about one in eight — or 12% — said they are taking a GLP-1 drug like Wegovy or Ozempic either to lose weight or to treat diabetes or another chronic condition. That’s up by about six percentage points from 18 months ago, KFF said.
The survey also found that many users struggle with cost: About half of the people taking a GLP-1 drug said it was difficult to afford, even with insurance.
Read the full article here
