FDA approves Wegovy pill as first daily oral drug for obesity

The United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Wegovy pill for weight loss. This is the first daily-use oral medication given approval to treat obesity, giving its manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, over its rivals.

Another drugmaker Eli Lilly’s daily oral medication, orforglipron, is still under review by the FDA.

More than 100 million people in the U.S. suffer from obesity and Nordisk’s injectable products are already providing relief to millions in need.

Injectable Wegovy was already available in the market and now its availability in the pills form could help expand the booming market. Experts say that this approval will also help reduce the cost of the drug.

An obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr Fatima Cody Stanford, said, “There’s an entire demographic that can benefit from the pills. For me, it’s not just about who gets it across the finish line first. It’s about having these options available to patients.”

Earlier, Wegovy pills showed promising results in clinical trials. Participants lost nearly 13.6 percent of their body weight on average in about 15 months with the help of Wegovy pills.

Users of Eli Lilly’s product lost 11.2 percent of their total body weight in 17 months.

DISCLAIMER: This report is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Readers are advised to consult qualified healthcare professionals for diagnosis or treatment.