Novo Nordisk has launched the oral version of its obesity drug Wegovy in the United States, following approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 22. The company announced that oral Wegovy will be available starting Monday at an out-of-pocket price of $149 per month for 1.5-mg and 4-mg doses, while higher doses of 9 mg and 25 mg will cost $299 per month. According to Novo Nordisk’s website, insured patients may pay as little as $25 per month.
The pill is priced slightly lower than the injectable version for customers paying without insurance. For injectables, the two lowest doses—0.25 mg and 0.5 mg—are set at $199 per month during the first two months, with similar insurance discounts available.
Oral Wegovy can be purchased through major pharmacy chains such as CVS and Costco, telehealth providers including GoodRx, Ro, LifeMD, and Novo’s own direct-to-consumer platform NovoCare Pharmacy.
The launch follows a recent agreement between Novo Nordisk and the federal government that set initial prices for oral Wegovy near $150 per month for early doses. Other drugs in the GLP-1 class could be offered at up to $350 monthly under this deal.
Shares of Novo Nordisk rose about 2.6% to $53.75 in premarket trading on Monday after news of the product’s release.
Novo Nordisk faces competition from Eli Lilly in the obesity treatment market. Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide drug Zepbound is already approved, and its next-generation oral obesity medication orfoglipron received a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher last November. Ilya Yuffa, president of Lilly USA, stated at a December conference that they plan to launch orfoglipron in the second quarter of 2026.
Lilly reported results from a Phase III trial last August showing orfoglipron reduced patient weight by more than 10%. The company plans to seek FDA approval soon; with priority review status, approval could come within one to two months after submission.
Analysts note that orfoglipron differs from peptide-based drugs like Wegovy because it is a small molecule compound, making manufacturing simpler and potentially positioning it as a multi-billion dollar opportunity for Eli Lilly.
"GLP-1
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