In the second half of this year, the Danish company presented its oral treatment (25 mg oral semaglutide administered once a day) to combat obesity to the European Medicines Agency and other regulatory authorities.
In clinical trials carried out, this anti-obesity medicine demonstrated an average weight loss of 16.6%, while one in three people observed a weight loss of 20%, says the pharmaceutical company.
He also highlighted that the weight loss achieved with the oral medication is similar to that of the 2.4 mg injectable Wegovy.
This tablet will now be authorized in the US for long-term weight loss and maintenance in adults with obesity or overweight people who have at least one disease related to being overweight, such as, for example, a heart problem, according to the company.
The company Novo Nordisk signed an agreement with the North American Government in November in which it planned to offer the treatment in tablets starting at 150 dollars (127 euros) per month, much less than the current cost of injectable versions.
The Danish pharmaceutical company did not provide further details on the final price on Monday, but indicated that it intends to market it in the country from January 2026.
Wegovy, Ozempic and Zepbound are part of a new class of drugs initially developed to combat diabetes and which mimic a gastrointestinal hormone (GLP-1) that plays a role in regulating appetite.
Due to the significant weight loss they provide, these treatments have been in great demand in recent years, especially in the United States, where they are used by around one in eight Americans, according to a recent investigation by the American think tank KFF, which specializes in health issues.
After being developed in the form of injectable solutions, they are being adapted by laboratories in the form of tablets to facilitate administration.
These treatments were recommended by the WHO to combat obesity, a chronic disease that constitutes a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, certain types of cancer and complications, and which represents a scourge for global health.
Furthermore, they raise a lot of hope in the medical field, with researchers exploring many other clues about the possible actions of these treatments against various diseases, particularly kidney diseases or addictions.
The tablet version of Wegovy, now approved in the United States, is also being reviewed by other regulatory authorities, including the European Medicines Agency, Novo Nordisk said.