Wegovy in a pill is almost here — and it’s a major breakthrough

For many people living with overweight or obesity, GLP-1s have been transformative — helping them lose weight and achieve a level of health that once felt impossible. Up until now, however, the options have been limited. There are only three GLP-1 medications that are approved by the F.D.A. for weight loss: Saxenda (liraglutide), Wegovy (semaglutide), and Zepbound (tirzepatide). All are only available as injections, a delivery method that (for many of us) comes with at least some level of trepidation. But that’s all about to change.

The F.D.A. is expected to greenlight an oral version of Wegovy by early 2026 — and when it does, members of Weight Watchers Med+ will have access, if they qualify. Clinical trials show it can help people lose a similar amount of weight as the injectable version. Here’s everything you need to know about this potential new option, from how it works, to what makes it different from other GLP-1 pills, and whether it could be the best choice for you.

What is the Wegovy Pill?

Right now, Wegovy (containing the active ingredient semaglutide) is approved as a weekly injection for weight loss. The Wegovy Pill has the same active ingredient, but comes in a daily pill form as opposed to an injectable. It’s not available quite yet, but the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, filed for F.D.A. approval of Wegovy Pill earlier this year, based on a successful phase 3 clinical trial.

In that study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, 307 participants with overweight or obesity took a daily pill containing either 25 mg of semaglutide or a placebo. After about 15 months, those taking the Wegovy Pill had lost an average 13.6% of their body weight, compared to just 2.2% for those in the placebo group. This is similar to the results of the injectable version presented in a separate study, which led to an average 14.9% weight loss in a little over a year. Further analysis of the trials presented at a conference of The Obesity Society this fall also found that the Wegovy Pill improved blood sugar control and heart risk factors, like the injectable version.

When will the Wegovy Pill be available?

While there’s no way to know for sure, the F.D.A. could approve this oral version by the end of 2025, meaning the first oral GLP-1 approved specifically for weight loss could hit the market in early 2026. That’s big news for people who’ve shied away from trying a GLP-1 on account of the pointy parts. “Oral medications have the benefit of not requiring an injection, which can be really helpful for those who are averse to needles or who may have reactions to injections,” says Dr. Rachel Pessah-Pollack, M.D., an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Health and clinical professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine.

There’s a reason why an oral version has taken so long to be available: GLP-1s are peptides, which are the building blocks of protein. Stomach acid along with digestive enzymes break them down, just like food, before the body can absorb them. That is why “initial development focused on injectable forms that bypass the digestive system,” says Pessah-Pollack. But more recently, scientists figured out how to apply a technology (called SNAC, humorously enough) to protect the molecule from being broken down by the stomach acid before it can be absorbed. This opened the door to making a pill version.

How the Wegovy Pill works

The Wegovy Pill contains the same active ingredient — semaglutide — as the Wegovy that you take as an injection, so it helps you lose weight in the same way. Semaglutide is in a class of medications that mimic a hormone in the body called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). Semaglutide regulates blood sugar by helping the pancreas release more insulin, while reducing the release of glucagon — a hormone that raises blood sugar. It also binds to the receptors in your brain and gut that sense GLP-1, sending out a signal that you’re satisfied. “Both the oral and injectable GLP-1s work by suppressing your appetite and delaying stomach emptying,” explains Pessah-Pollack. When the food you eat stays in your stomach longer, it makes you feel fuller. All of this means you’re likely to eat less and lose weight.

There are a few key differences in how you give yourself the oral pill versus the injection. For one thing, you take the pill daily as opposed to the shot, which is given weekly. And then there are the rules about when to take it. “Oral Wegovy contains the SNAC compound, which forms a little halo around the pill so that it can be absorbed before the acidity of the stomach breaks it down,” says Dr. Debra Horn, D.O., professor and medical director of the Center for Obesity Medicine at UT Health Houston. That means you need to take the pill whole (not crushed or chewed), first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, with just 4 ounces of water, then wait at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything else, including other medications or supplements.

There is also a difference in doses between the oral and injectable versions of semaglutide. “The oral forms require a higher dose, as much less of it is absorbed compared to the injectable form. These higher doses help improve the amount that reaches the bloodstream,” says Pessah-Pollack. That’s why injectable Wegovy maxes out at 2.4 mg per week, while the Wegovy Pill goes up to 25 mg taken daily.

How is the Wegovy Pill different from Rybelsus?

Rybelsus (also containing semaglutide and also manufactured by Novo Nordisk) is an oral GLP-1 that’s been F.D.A.-approved since 2019 to help manage blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Rybelsus does lead to some weight loss as a result of its impact on appetite, but only around 5% with 14 mg Rybelsus in patients with type 2 diabetes — much less than the injectable versions.

Why does the oral Wegovy lead to so much more weight loss than Rybelsus? There are a few key differences between the clinical trials. For starters, Rybelsus maxes out at 14 mg of semaglutide, while the Wegovy Pill goes up to 25 mg. Additionally, the participants of the Rybelsus study were diabetes patients, and they tend to lose less weight than people without diabetes.

Is the Wegovy Pill better than the injection?

Wegovy in a pill and Wegovy in a shot can help you lose a similar amounts of weight, but there are pros and cons to each that might make one a better choice for certain people.

“In general, people prefer an oral medication to an injection partly because you don't have to worry about it being in a refrigerator, how you’ll travel with it, and all that sort of stuff,” says Horn. That and, of course, the needle jab. “But it’s also true that some people would rather take their medication weekly in an injectable than daily in a pill,” she says. Especially when that pill is very particular about how it needs to be taken — no eating or drinking before or after it. “It takes a little more planning,” says Horn.

Side effects of the Wegovy Pill

The side effects of oral Wegovy are similar to those of the Wegovy shot — minus any injection-site pain or rash, of course, because there is no injection site. In clinical trials, about three-quarters of participants taking the Wegovy Pill experienced one or more gastrointestinal side effects (common with all GLP-1 medications) mostly mild to moderate in severity. These effects included nausea (for approximately 2 weeks), vomiting (for a couple days), constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, belching, and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

How much does the Wegovy Pill cost?

Since the Wegovy pill is not yet approved or available, the price hasn’t been released yet, but there’s reason to believe it could be less expensive than injectable GLP-1s. Pills are generally cheaper to produce than pens. And, says Pessah-Pollack, “since the oral form of Wegovy doesn’t require refrigeration during shipping, it could potentially be priced lower due to costs saved on distribution.”