A significant shift in weight loss treatment could be on the horizon as pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk advances toward the approval of a pill form of its popular obesity medications, Ozempic and Wegovy. These drugs are currently only available as injections, but the new tablet could offer a more convenient and accessible option for millions of patients seeking effective weight loss solutions.
Novo Nordisk, which already manufactures semaglutide tablets for Type 2 diabetes management, is now seeking regulatory approval to use the same medication for weight loss, just as it does in its injectable forms. Early testing has demonstrated that the pill offers similar effectiveness to its injectable counterparts, with patients achieving up to 16% weight loss.
For individuals like Gemia Long, who has successfully lost 15 pounds in three months using Wegovy, the introduction of a pill could significantly ease the treatment process. Long, despite seeing positive results, finds the weekly injections mentally taxing. “You don’t want to do that to yourself. I hate it every time I have to do it,” Long shared. “I have to psych myself into it, you know? It’s like I have to give myself a whole pep talk.”
Many others who would benefit from the treatment are also put off by the idea of weekly injections, making the pill version potentially a game-changer for wider adoption.
Novo Nordisk’s CEO, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, announced that the tablet version of Wegovy would offer the same weight loss results as the injectable, expanding access to a broader demographic of patients. This move is expected to directly compete with other pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. market, where weight loss drug sales are anticipated to rise significantly.
“We think we can compete in the U.S. market with a tablet-based obesity treatment before Lilly can launch,” Jørgensen told CNBC.
While the transition to a tablet may not immediately impact the company’s existing plans for a $4 billion expansion of its Clayton manufacturing facility, which currently focuses on injectable production, it may lead to an adjustment in the facility’s operations to accommodate the new pill formulation.
If approved, the tablet could revolutionize the weight loss treatment landscape, offering an easier, more patient-friendly alternative to injections, while potentially benefiting millions of individuals who have struggled with obesity and weight management.
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