The first FDA-approved oral GLP-1 for weight loss is now available to U.S. patients for $299 per month through a self-pay platform.
Self-paying patients can order the Wegovy pill at $149 per month as they work up to the two highest doses, which are available at $299 per month, according to a Jan. 5 news release from Novo Nordisk, a drugmaker based in Denmark.
Approved Dec. 22, the daily pill is indicated to reduce excess body weight, maintain long-term weight loss and lower the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, including death, heart attack and stroke. In a phase 3 trial, adults taking daily Wegovy pills achieved an average weight loss of 14% after 64 weeks, according to Novo Nordisk. The study included 307 participants.
Eli Lilly is waiting for FDA approval of its experimental GLP-1 pill, orforglipron, and an answer is expected early in 2026. Orforglipron led to an average weight loss of 12.4%, or 27.3 pounds, in a 72-week, phase 3 trial involving more than 3,000 adults.
The traditional form of GLP-1 therapies is a weekly injectable solution.
