A tablet form of Wegovy, a popular obesity drug that was previously only available as an injection, is now available in pharmacies.
Novo Nordisk
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Novo Nordisk
Wegovy tablets went on sale on Monday and the starting dose is now available in pharmacies across the country, with higher doses arriving by the end of the week.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the obesity pill on December 22. It is also approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who are obese or overweight.
The tablet follows the blockbuster success of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy injection, which is already on the market. from 2021 and became so popular that it was in short supply until February 2025.
The tablet version of the drug helped patients lose about as much weight as the injection. IN study published V New England Journal of MedicineA 25-milligram tablet of Wegovy resulted in a 13.6% weight loss over an average of 64 weeks. Patients taking placebo in the study lost 2.2% of their weight. For patients who continued treatment, reduced calorie intake and exercised, Novo Nordisk estimates their weight will decrease by 16.6%.
However, patients need to take Vegovi tablets on an empty stomach and wait half an hour before eating anything else to ensure the medication is absorbed properly. The most common side effects from Wegovy tablets are similar to the injections and include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
When Novo Nordisk announced drug prices reach an agreement with the Trump administration in Novembershe promised to make anti-obesity pills available for $149 a month to patients without health insurance. However, this is only a starting dose at a direct-to-consumer price. Higher doses will be available for $299 per month.
The price that affects coverage, called the list price, is the same as Wegovy's price: $1,349 per month.
Anti-obesity drug insurance became more restrictive in 2025, according to an analysis by GoodRx, a website that helps patients find discounts on prescription drugs. But Novo Nordisk says patients with insurance can get a Wegovy pill for as little as $25 a month.
While Wegovy's pill is the first of its kind to receive FDA approval, Novo Nordisk's type 2 diabetes pill, Rybelsus, is already on the market. It contains the same active ingredient semaglutide, but the doses are different.
Eli Lilly, which makes the Zepbound injection, filed an application with the FDA in late 2025 for approval of its competing obesity pill. The agency has given the company a priority review voucher and a decision could be made early this year.
