\n Americans can now purchase the starter dose of blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy as a pill, drug maker Novo Nordisk announced Monday. Other strengths will be available as pills by the end of the week.\n <\/p>\n
\n The daily pill, available with a prescription, generally costs less than the weekly injection for self-pay patients willing to buy directly from Novo Nordisk and forgo insurance. The GLP-1 drug\u2019s original steep price tag made it unaffordable for many people seeking to lose weight since many commercial insurance plans do not cover it for obesity.\n <\/p>\n
\n The 1.5 mg starter dose of the pill costs $149 a month for patients who pay cash, as part of a recent deal<\/a> Novo Nordisk made with the Trump administration. The 4 mg dose costs the same amount until April 15, after which the price will increase to $199. However, the 9 mg and 25 mg doses cost $299 a month, according to the manufacturer.\n <\/p>\n \n The injectable version carries a $349 monthly price tag for self-pay consumers, though new patients can receive two months of the lowest two doses for $199 each until March, according to Novo Nordisk.\n <\/p>\n \n Patients whose insurance plans cover the drug for obesity could pay as little as $25 a month for the pill or injection under a savings program offered by Novo Nordisk. The pill is available in pharmacies, certain telehealth providers, NovoCare Pharmacy and other locations.\n <\/p>\n \n Wegovy is also approved to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or death in adults with overweight or obesity and established heart disease.\n <\/p>\n \n The US Food and Drug Administration <\/strong>approved<\/a> the daily pill version in late December. The oral Wegovy drug showed roughly similar weight loss and side effects in clinical trials as the shot, according to Novo Nordisk.\n <\/p>\n \n The pill uses the same active ingredient \u2013 semaglutide \u2013 that powers the original Wegovy, along with its sister drug for diabetes, Ozempic.\n <\/p>\n \n Rival Eli Lilly, which manufactures the diabetes drug Mounjaro and obesity drug Zepbound, is also developing an oral GLP-1 medication, which is called orforglipron until it receives a brand name. It is expected to be approved by the FDA by summer and will also be available for the $149 starting price under the Trump agreement. Additional doses of orforglipron will cost up to $399 if patients are paying cash.\n <\/p>\n \n GLP-1 medications have become uber popular since hitting the market several years ago. About 1 in 8 US adults say<\/a> they\u2019re currently taking one of the medicines, according to KFF, a health policy research group.\n <\/p>\n \n The Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly pills haven\u2019t been compared head-to-head in a clinical trial, but in separate studies, the Wegovy pill showed<\/a> average weight loss of 14% over 64 weeks, compared with 2% for a placebo, while orforglipron showed<\/a> 11% weight loss over 72 weeks on its highest dose, compared with 2% for the placebo group.\n <\/p>\n \n Wegovy injection showed <\/a>weight loss of 15% in its key trial, versus 2% for placebo, while Zepbound showed <\/a>21% on its highest dose, compared with 3% for those on placebo.\n <\/p>\n \n Gastrointestinal issues such as nausea and vomiting are the most commonly experienced side effects with GLP-1 drugs, which was seen in studies of the pills as well. Overall, 7% of participants in the Wegovy pill trial stopped treatment because of side effects, versus 6% on placebo. In orforglipron\u2019s study, up to 10% of patients stopped treatment, compared with 3% on placebo.\n <\/p>\n \n One difference between the medicines is that the Wegovy pill must be taken on an empty stomach with a small amount of water, and patients are directed not to eat, drink or take other medicines for 30 minutes after taking it. A pill version of semaglutide approved for diabetes, called Rybelsus, hasn\u2019t been used as widely as Ozempic in part for that reason, doctors say.\n <\/p>\n