Novo Nordisk executive reports high interest for once-daily, oral weight-loss pill

Wegovy’s oral version of its injectable weight-loss drug is seeing tremendous interest, Novo Nordisk executive Dave Moore told FOX Business on Friday.

Wegovy’s once-daily pill, an oral spinoff of its injectable weight-loss medication, was approved in December 2025 by the Food and Drug Administration as the first oral GLP-1 drug and launched on U.S. markets Monday. 

"There are so many patients that have been on the sidelines just waiting because they didn't really see themselves treating with an injection," Moore, Novo Nordisk's executive vice president of U.S. Operations, said on "The Claman Countdown." "Now that the pill is available, we are seeing a lot of excitement and a lot of activity."

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Drugmaker Novo Nordisk manufactures Wegovy. Moore told FOX Business that clinical trials show the pill delivers similar weight-loss results to the injection.

"There isn't that much of a difference," the drugmaker executive explained. "That's what we're so excited about. That's what we're so proud about at Novo Nordisk is that patients now don't have to make a choice. They don't have to compromise."

The pill will be available at 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, including major retailers like CVS, Costco and Good Rx. 

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Pricing for the semaglutide pill is lower than that of the injectable version for those paying cash. Eligible, insured customers will pay about $25 a month while uninsured will pay $149 a month, FOX Business anchor Liz Claman reported.

Moore noted the pill and injection cost roughly the same for Novo Nordisk to manufacture, but making the pill affordable was a priority for the drugmaker.

In addition to the lower price, he also highlighted the secondary benefits associated with Wegovy beyond weight loss.

"Both the injection and the pill have a secondary indication, and that is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease," Moore said.

The FDA classifies the drug as a preventative heart disease medication.

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While Wegovy’s pill is the only oral GLP-1 medication approved by the FDA for weight loss, Novo Nordisk’s rival Eli Lilly is reportedly nearing approval for its oral version.

Moore also addressed concerns about what happens when patients stop taking GLP-1 medications, noting that many experience weight regain.

"If you go off treatment, likely the weight returns, and so that prolonged treatment is important," he said.

"Just like if you were on a hypertension medicine or one for diabetes, long-term treatment is necessary," Moore added.

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Claman asked whether Novo Nordisk is exploring alternatives that would not require lifelong use.

"There is a lot of R&D [research and development] that's taking place, and of course, we are at the center of that," Moore said.