Novo Nordisk's new daily Wegovy pill has been described as the fastest drug launch ever, with 50,000 prescriptions a week in the US by late January. The first oral GLP-1 treatment for weight loss, it received approval from the US regulator on 22 December. Analysts at Leerink Partners say the arrival of easy-to-take tablets could push weight-loss treatments further into the mainstream, in a year described as pivotal for the booming anti-obesity market, predicted to be worth $200bn (£145bn) by the end of the decade.
Melody Ewert, 44, from Minnesota, switched from Eli Lilly's Zepbound weekly injection to the Wegovy pill after her health insurance changed, meaning the jab would cost $449 a month instead of $25. She had lost 22.7kg on Zepbound, enabling her to stop using a seatbelt extender on planes. On the pill, she says her appetite is consistent every day and 'food noise' is low, even on the starter dose, though she loved the convenience of a once-weekly shot.
Patrick, 33, a parts manager from New Jersey, has been on the Wegovy tablet for a month and has lost 6.8kg. He previously used the weekly injection, losing 34kg in six months, but stopped when his new insurance did not cover it. He regained three-quarters of the weight and now pays $150 a month for the starter dose out of his own pocket, hoping to lose as much as before with higher doses costing up to $300.
Pills are likely to attract people who are averse to needles, and they are cheaper than injections and do not require refrigeration. However, concerns persist over price, global supplies and side-effects. In the UK, the Wegovy pill is being assessed by the medical regulator and is expected to hit the market later this year, though it is too soon to say whether it will be available on the NHS. There are also fears that fake versions could flood the market, as pills are easier for fraudsters to manufacture than jabs.
According to a UCL study, 1.6 million people in England, Scotland and Wales used weight-loss drugs between early 2024 and early 2025, with twice as many women as men, typically aged 45 to 55. Many pay out of pocket as NHS coverage is limited to the most obese. Another 3.3 million people were interested in using such drugs in the near future, particularly those struggling financially, among whom obesity is more prevalent. In England, 64% of adults were overweight or obese in 2022.
