New Data Shows Oral Weight-Loss Pill Variant Led to 4.1% Average Weight Loss in Three Months

New real-world data presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) annual meeting shows that adults with overweight or obesity who switched from injectable GLP-1 based weight management therapies to once-daily oral semaglutide (Wegovy® pill) experienced an average body weight loss of 4.1% over three months.

The analysis, derived from de-identified data from the Ro telehealth platform, also revealed that 40.7% of participants achieved 5% or more weight loss after three months on the oral medication. Furthermore, the proportion of participants classified with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) decreased by 21.6 percentage points during the same period.

Beyond weight reduction, a significant majority (82.4%) of participants reported at least one treatment improvement, citing better-fitting clothes and healthier eating habits as key benefits. This study is one of the first to describe real-world outcomes for patients switching from injectable to oral semaglutide.

"We innovate to meet people with obesity where they are. Some people may choose to switch from injectable to pill – whether that is because of needle anxiety, lifestyle, or simply personal preference," said Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president at Novo Nordisk. "The OCTANE data give us a unique and encouraging early look at what happened in a real-world analysis where patients switched from injectable therapies."

The study, known as OCTANE, had limitations including variable data collection and potential bias in self-reported outcomes. Novo Nordisk has launched the oral Wegovy® in several markets and plans further rollouts in the coming quarters.