Novo's Path To The First GLP-1 Weight Loss Pill
By Katie Anderson, Chief Editor, Pharmaceutical Online
The race to the finish line for the first oral GLP-1 treatment for weight loss was won on Dec. 22, 2025, when the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral Wegovy by Novo Nordisk as the first daily, oral GLP-1 pill for weight management.
The team at Novo were confident that the Wegovy pill would be approved. “We are very excited about the launch of Wegovy pill. We have always strongly believed in the potential of Wegovy® pill to be the first oral GLP-1 for weight management to market,” added Jamie Bennett, media relations and issues management associate director for Novo Nordisk.
As we all know, Eli Lilly is close behind in the race with its oral GLP-1, orforglipron, which is expected to be approved by the FDA late in the first quarter. Because of this, Novo Nordisk is hoping to capitalize on its first to market status and has wasted no time with its initial roll-out. With such a huge demand expected, we are all wondering how the company prepared to get here, what the runway to launch looked like, and how it plans to prepare for the future.
A Prepared Launch
The brand was ready, and the starter 1.5mg version of oral Wegovy was in pharmacies two weeks after FDA approval The other versions—4 mg, 9mg, and 25 mg—were available about a week later, and marketing quickly picked up for the new drug with the tagline, “in the palm of your hand.”
Though the company is based in Denmark, the Wegovy pill initially launched in the U.S. This allowed the brand to avoid duplicating the supply issues it experienced when its injectable Wegovy was launched in 2021.
“We filed for FDA approval of Wegovy® pill in February 2025, and our submission was accepted in May 2025. We strongly believed in the potential of Wegovy pill to be the first oral GLP-1 for weight management to market, and we ensured that we could launch without any constraints, “added Bennett.
The Wegovy pill has not only rolled out to traditional pharmacies, but it is also available through telehealth providers and its own NovoCare Pharmacy. Bennett furthered, “All doses are broadly available nationwide for Americans, however they choose to get their care, whether that’s across 70,000+ pharmacies such as CVS and Costco, our own NovoCare Pharmacy, or select telehealth providers and digital platforms (Ro, LifeMD, WeightWatchers, GoodRx, Amazon).”
To kickstart sales, the pill is offered straight to the consumers for $149 per month for the 1.5 mg starter dose, $199 for the 4 mg dose, and $299 per month for the 9 mg and 25 mg doses. With insurance, patients can get the pill for as little as $25. These introductory prices are set to go up April 15, 2026.
In the first four days, there were reportedly more than 3,000 prescriptions filled for the Wegovy pill, not counting the company’s online portal.
Production Capacity and Supply
Novo Nordisk filed for FDA approval early in 2025, but it has been preparing for this launch for years. “
“We have a strong, reliable supply of Wegovy® pill. We planned ahead, and over the years have made significant multi-billion dollar investments in building production capacity. The active ingredient in Wegovy pill will be produced from end-to-end in North Carolina – made by Americans for Americans. We are confident and ready to meet demand so patients can count on timely access to Wegovy pill,” explained Dave Moore, executive vice president of US Operations for Novo Nordisk Inc.
Specifically, the company has four manufacturing facilities in The Research Triangle. There are three manufacturing facilities in Clayton, North Carolina, and one manufacturing facility in Durham, North Carolina. Bennett noted, “The Research Triangle is Novo Nordisk’s first and largest manufacturing presence in the US.”
A $4.1 billion dollar expansion at the company’s first Clayton site is in progress to triple its capacity to make the diabetes and obesity injectables. However, The Wegovy pill is to be made elsewhere.
“Also in Clayton, we have our facility that makes the active pharmaceutical ingredients for our oral treatments for diabetes and obesity. In Durham, we have our solid dosage form facility that tablets our oral diabetes and obesity treatments,” explained Bennett.
Market Impact and Looking Forward
The Novo team is forecasting big sales for the Wegovy pill, not only because it has low initial pricing, but also because it offers an option for those wanting GLP-1 treatment but uncomfortable with injectable administration. Because of this, Novo does not believe the pill will replace injectables.
“Delivering a GLP-1 pill that can be used to treat obesity has the potential to expand the market rather than replace injectables. 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 some patients, a pill may be a more acceptable option, which could help us reach people who might not otherwise consider treatment,” added Bennett.
The potential 17% weight loss with the Wegovy pill is also a higher weight loss than other GLP-1 pills in clinical testing.
Strong initial sales of the Wegovy pill will set the tone for the success of the drug in 2026 and beyond, especially in light of an anticipated orforglipron approval in April. As demand goes up, the manufacturing teams in Clayton and Durham are prepared to ramp up production. Introduction into the global market has not yet been announced, so it is unclear where that supply will be produced.