A new once-daily weight loss pill developed by Novo Nordisk has shown strong results in helping people with obesity lose weight.
The pill contains 25 mg of oral semaglutide, the same ingredient used in the injectable version of Wegovy.
In a recent clinical study, people taking the pill lost an average of 16.6% of their body weight, and about one in three lost 20% or more.
These results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine and came from the OASIS 4 trial. The study lasted 64 weeks and included 307 adults who were either obese or overweight and had at least one related health condition, such as high blood pressure or joint pain. People with diabetes were not included.
Participants were divided into two groups. One group took the oral semaglutide pill daily, along with diet and lifestyle counseling. The other group took a placebo. People who followed the treatment plan closely lost an average of 16.6% of their weight compared to just 2.7% in the placebo group.
Not only did people lose weight, but they also reported better mobility and improvements in everyday activities like walking, bending, and standing. The study also showed improvements in markers of heart health, similar to the benefits seen with the injectable version of Wegovy.
Novo Nordisk has submitted the new oral treatment to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval. If accepted, this would be the first oral GLP-1 therapy available for long-term weight loss. The company says production has already begun in the United States and expects to have enough supply to meet demand.
One big advantage of this pill is that it gives people an alternative to injections, which may be preferred by some patients. Currently, fewer than 2% of Americans with obesity are using weight loss medications. The availability of an effective pill could encourage more people to begin treatment.
The pill was generally safe, with side effects similar to those seen with the injectable form. The most common side effects were nausea (46.6% of patients) and vomiting (30.9%), but these were usually mild or moderate and went away over time.
About 7% of people stopped the treatment due to side effects. Interestingly, people on the placebo had more serious side effects than those taking the pill.
Wegovy is already approved as an injectable medication for both adults and adolescents with obesity. It is also approved to lower the risk of major heart problems in people with heart disease. The new pill version uses the same ingredient but has not yet been approved.
The trial highlights how effective semaglutide can be when taken as a pill. It adds a new option for patients and strengthens the view that obesity is a serious medical condition that requires long-term treatment.
Weight gain is not just a matter of willpower—it involves biology, genetics, and environment. This medication could help many more people achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
If you care about weight loss, please read studies that hop extract could reduce belly fat in overweight people, and early time-restricted eating could help lose weight .
For more health information, please see recent studies about a simple path to weight loss, and results showing a non-invasive treatment for obesity and diabetes.
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