Novo's Wegovy pill improves weight loss after switch from injections
Novo Nordisk released real-world data suggesting that patients switching from injectable weight-loss drugs to their new oral Wegovy pill continue to lose weight. The study indicates the pill may be as effective as injections while offering greater convenience for patients.
Why it matters
This development could shift the obesity treatment market toward more accessible oral medications, potentially increasing patient adherence and reducing the burden of weekly injections.
People who switched from obesity injections to Novo 's new Wegovy pill continued to lose weight after three months, according to an analysis of real-world data the company presented on Wednesday.
Real-world studies evaluate associations and can't determine causality. But the results suggest that the Wegovy pill may improve upon the initial weight loss people experience on blockbuster injections rather than simply maintain it. It also suggests that patients may not need to take weekly shots like Wegovy and Zepbound forever, and can instead opt for more convenient treatments such as Novo's pill.
Novo's analysis used data from Ro's telehealth platform on 194 patients with obesity or who were overweight, around 56% of whom were female. Half started on Novo's Wegovy injection and the rest initially took Eli Lilly 's shot Zepbound.
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