The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a tablet version of the weight-loss drug Wegovy, pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk announced, writes UNN with reference to the BBC.
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This is the first pill of its kind to receive regulatory approval, marking a new era for weight-loss drugs, the publication notes.
Danish manufacturers of Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, said the once-daily pill is a "convenient option" to the injectable form and will provide the same weight loss as the injection. This comes after Wegovy was approved by the FDA specifically for weight loss.
Other drugs, such as Ozempic, which has similar weight-loss effects, have been primarily approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
During Novo Nordisk trials, the Wegovy pill showed an average weight loss of 16.6%, the company said on Monday. A third of the approximately 1,300 participants experienced a weight loss of 20% or more in the same study, the report added.
The pill is expected to be released in the US in early January 2026.
"Patients will have a convenient, once-daily pill that will help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection," said Mike Dustdar, the company's chief executive.
The tablet version of Wegovy could boost Novo Nordisk's sales after a challenging year in which its shares fell amid the company's warning of declining profits.
The company has faced fierce competition in the weight-loss market from rival pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly.
Novo Nordisk shares rose almost 10% in after-hours trading in New York after the announcement.