Wegovy Weight-Loss Pills Are Now Available in the U.S.Here's What That Means

"The pills are made by Novo Nordisk, the company behind the injectable version of Wegovy and the injectable drug Ozempic, both of which are forms of semaglutide that are taken weekly. The pill was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat obesity just weeks ago. If someone was prescribed it last Friday, they could have it in their hands today, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told Scientific American."

"Experts say that a pill version of the high-demand medication, which is part of a category of drugs that are broadly known as a glucagonlike peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, could significantly reduce access barriers. A November 2025 poll by KFF Health News found that about half of people who were already on a GLP-1 medication, including those with insurance, had reported difficulty affording the drugs."

"The once-a-day pill version of Wegovy causes people to lose weight in the same manner as the weekly injectionsby mimicking a gut hormone that makes people feel fuller faster and eat less. Unlike the injections, the pill is absorbed through the stomach before it reaches the bloodstream, which means the dose needs to be higher to reach comparable weight-loss results."

A pill form of the weight-loss medication Wegovy (oral semaglutide) is rolling out in the U.S. and received recent FDA approval to treat obesity. The oral product is manufactured by Novo Nordisk, makers of injectable Wegovy and Ozempic. Prescriptions can be filled quickly. Oral semaglutide mimics a gut hormone to reduce appetite and promote weight loss, but the pill is absorbed in the stomach and requires higher doses than weekly injections to achieve comparable effects. High demand and cost barriers have limited access to GLP-1 medications, with many patients reporting difficulty affording them despite insurance.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com