The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first tablet version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, a move that could significantly reshape the rapidly expanding obesity treatment market.
Novo Nordisk, the Danish pharmaceutical company behind Wegovy, said the once-daily pill offers a more convenient alternative to injections while delivering comparable results. The approval marks the first time an oral medication of this type has been authorised by the US regulator.
Until now, Wegovy has been available only as a weekly injection prescribed specifically for weight loss. Similar drugs, including Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, have been widely used off-label for weight reduction but were originally approved to treat type 2 diabetes.
Clinical trial data released by the company showed that patients taking the pill lost an average of 16.6% of their body weight. Around one in three participants achieved weight loss of 20% or more during the study, which involved approximately 1,300 people.
Novo Nordisk said the pill is expected to be launched in the United States in early 2026.
Mike Doustdar, the company’s chief executive, described the approval as a milestone for patients. “This gives people a simple, once-daily pill that can deliver the same level of weight loss as the injectable version of Wegovy,” he said.
The decision could provide a much-needed boost for Novo Nordisk after a turbulent year in which its share price fell amid warnings over earnings and growing competition. Rival drugmaker Eli Lilly has been aggressively expanding its own weight-loss portfolio, intensifying pressure on the market leader.
Investors reacted positively to the announcement, with Novo Nordisk shares jumping nearly 10% in after-hours trading in New York.
The approval highlights the continued momentum behind a new generation of weight-loss treatments, as drugmakers race to develop easier-to-use options for a condition affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
