The first daily pill of the blockbuster GLP-1 weight loss drug has been launched by Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk in the United States on Monday, January 6, 2026, offering 1.5 mg and 4 mg doses at $149 per month for self-paying patients.
This comes less than a month after the FDA approved the once-daily Wegovy pill, taking into account the findings of the OASIS clinical trials and the SELECT trial. OASIS trial showed a weight loss of 13.6% at 64 weeks.
“We know there are people who are interested in addressing their weight but have been waiting on the sidelines for a medicine that was right for them. For many of them, that wait is over as we can now offer the powerful efficacy of Wegovy in a once-daily pill that demonstrated about 17% weight loss, if all patients stayed on treatment,” said Ed Cinca, senior vice president, Marketing & Patient Solutions at Novo Nordisk.
Cinca says the moment is about changing what’s possible in weight management, and they have done so by making Wegovy pill “affordable and accessible to those who need it, however they choose to receive their care.”
Price war with Eli Lilly
Novo Nordisk attempts to regain lost ground to its rival in the US Eli Lilly as the American pharmaceutical company earlier said it expects a March decision for its own weight loss pill.
Pricing of once-daily weight loss explained
More affordable option compared to injectables, self-paying patients can buy the Wegovy pill for $5 (£3.70) a day, or $149 a month, for the starting dose of 1.5mg. According to the Guardian, the US list prices for weight loss injectables are $1,000 a month, Novo Nordisk sold Wegovy injection at $349 a month to cash payers in November. Its weight loss pills are even cheaper.
Novo’s pill will also be sold in 9 mg and a higher long-term dose of 25 mg. The two higher doses will be priced at $299 for a month’s supply, while the 4 mg dose will rise to $199 from April 15, the drugmaker’s website shows.
Lilly, on the other hand, is looking to cap higher doses of its obesity pill at $399 a month for repeat cash buyers.
What is the Wegovy pill made of
The 1.5 mg dose of once-daily Wegovy pill is made up of semaglutide, the same active ingredient of its weight loss and diabetes treatments injectable marketed under the brand names of Wegovy and Ozempic. The other doses of Wegovy pill will be available by end of this week, Novo said.
Prices lower than expected
Novo has triggered a price war with the launch of low-cost weight loss pills. Matt Weston, a pharmaceutical analyst at UBS, told the Guardian that the price was lower than expected if compared to US list prices for weight-loss jabs, which comes to around $1,000 a month or more.
Is the Wegovy pill available in India and other countries?
No, the Wegovy pill has been approved in the US so far. The starting dose is now available at more than 70,000 US pharmacies and telehealth providers, according to a Guardian report. The higher doses will become available later this week.
Disclaimer: Always consult a doctor before starting any diet or fitness routine. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.