The news: Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill is now the first oral GLP-1 drug approved by the FDA to treat obesity.

• The oral medication will be available in US pharmacies and select telehealth providers in early January priced at $149 per month for cash-pay patients.
• The Wegovy pill produced an average 16.6% weight loss among adults with obesity or overweight and at least one related health condition, excluding diabetes, in a 64-week clinical trial.
• When patients with less strict adherence were included, the average loss was 13.3% of body weight.

The injectable version of Wegovy, known by its active ingredient name semaglutide, was the first GLP-1 drug approved to treat obesity in 2021. Semaglutide was initially approved to treat type 2 diabetes as Ozempic in 2017.

Why it matters: Novo Nordisk’s first-to-market approval is an advantage not only for the company but also for potential patients who are needle-averse or prefer the convenience of a pill. The $149 price tag for the initial low dose pill is lower than current injectables, which range from $199 in introductory pricing up to $349 per month. Higher-dose pills are expected to cost more.

• 22% of US adults who are not currently taking a GLP-1 say they are interested in trying one for weight loss, per KFF survey data from mid-November.
• Novo’s stock price rose more than 8% in Tuesday trading after the pill news.
• Pills are expected to account for 25% of the anti-obesity drug market by 2030, per Goldman Sachs.

Both Novo and Eli Lilly negotiated the $149 per month initial cash-pay price with the Trump administration in exchange for three years of relief from certain US tariffs.

Meanwhile, Eli Lilly is also preparing to launch its own oral medicine, orforglipron, which is currently under an expedited FDA review. Lilly, which makes the anti-obesity injectable Zepbound, is expected to launch its pill by mid-2026.

Implications for consumers and pharma companies: Lower-cost GLP-1 pills will make weight loss treatment available to more people by removing hurdles like injections, refrigeration, and higher upfront costs. Novo Nordisk’s first-to-market pill, priced at $149 per month for cash-pay patients and covered by Medicare and Medicaid in 2026 as part of its deal with the Trump administration, sets an early benchmark for affordability and access.

With Lilly expected to enter the market next, competition is likely to boost uptake but also shift the marketing focus from novelty treatments toward price, convenience, and coverage.