FILE - Photo illustration of Wegovy and a weight scale. (Photo by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The FDA just approved the first ever GLP-1 pill for weight loss, according to a Novo Nordisk, the makers of Wegovy, news release.
The company said the pill will be available in the United States as soon as early January.
1st GLP-1 weight-loss pill
Dig deeper:
The pill is a once-daily semaglutide 25 mg tablet that can be used to "reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term," Novo Nordisk said.
The starting dose will cost about $149 per month, according to an Axios report.
Big picture view:
Known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, the drugs have soared in popularity in recent years. The medications have proven especially lucrative for Lilly and Novo. Lilly said recently that sales of Zepbound have tripled so far this year to more than $9 billion.
But patient access has been a consistent problem because of their cost — around $500 a month for higher doses — and insurance coverage has been spotty.
More than 100 million American adults are obese, according to federal estimates.
The backstory:
Earlier last month, President Donald Trump announced a deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to expand coverage and reduce prices for GLP-1 drugs.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a Novo Nordisk news release published on Dec. 22, 2025, and previous reporting by The Associated Press. This story was reported from San Jose.