US health authorities on Monday approved a first tablet version of the flagship anti-obesity treatment Wegovy, offering Americans a first alternative to injections for weight loss, announced the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk which markets it.
This green light should make it easier to access these slimming treatments, which are already very popular and considered revolutionary by many experts.
With the approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Wegovy tablet, "patients will have a convenient solution with a once-a-day tablet that can help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection," said Mike Doustdar, president of Novo Nordisk, in an announcement statement.
The company said this tablet will now be authorized for weight loss and long-term maintenance for adults suffering from obesity or for overweight people with at least one comorbidity related to overweight, such as a heart problem.
– “Less expensive” –
The news was applauded by the American Obesity Care Advocacy Network, which defends patients suffering from obesity, a chronic disease that affects approximately 401,300 adults in the United States.
"This development represents an important opportunity for people living with obesity by offering an alternative for those hesitant to start injectable therapy and by providing a potentially less expensive option," he said in a statement sent to AFP.
Novo Nordisk had indeed signed an agreement in November with the US government in which it planned to offer the tablet treatment from $150 (€127) per month, which is much less than the current cost of injectable versions.
The price of these drugs, including the popular Ozempic and Zepbound, can indeed exceed $1,000 per month in the United States: a deterrent for many patients.
The Danish laboratory did not provide any further details on the final price on Monday but indicated that it planned to market it in the country from January 2026.
Wegovy, Ozempic and Zepbound are part of a new class of drugs initially developed to combat diabetes and mimic a gastrointestinal hormone (GLP-1) that plays a role in regulating appetite.
– Currently under review in Europe –
Given the significant weight loss they enable, these treatments have seen a surge in popularity in recent years, particularly in the United States where they are used by approximately one in eight Americans, according to a recent survey by the American think tank KFF, which specializes in health issues.
After being developed as injectable solutions, they are being adapted by laboratories into tablet form to facilitate their administration.
These treatments have been recommended by the WHO to combat obesity, a chronic disease that is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers and complications, and which constitutes a global health scourge.
They also raise many hopes in the medical field, with researchers exploring many other avenues for the possible actions of these treatments against various diseases, including kidney diseases and addictions.
Novo Nordisk said that the tablet version of Wegovy, now approved in the United States, is also under review by other regulatory authorities, including the European Medicines Agency.
US health authorities had previously approved another tablet version of these successful treatments, but not for weight loss.
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