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

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

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

“There are a lot of patients who have been on the sidelines waiting because they haven’t seen themselves treated with injections,” Moore, executive vice president of Novo Nordisk’s U.S. operations, said on The Claman Countdown. “Now that the pill is available, we’re seeing a lot of excitement and a lot of activity.”

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The pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk manufactures Wegovy. Clinical trials show the pill provides similar weight loss results as the injection, Moore told FOX Business.

“There’s not much difference,” the pharmaceutical company’s CEO explained. “That’s what we’re very excited about. That’s what we’re very proud of at Novo Nordisk is that patients now no longer have to choose. They no longer have to compromise.”

The pill will be available at 70,000 pharmacies across the country, including major retailers such as CVS, Costco and Good Rx.

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Wegovy is billed as an injectable prescription weight-loss drug. (Michael Sellock/UCG/Universal Image Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The price of semaglutide pills is lower than the price of the injectable version for those who pay cash. Eligible and insured customers will pay about $25 per month while the uninsured will pay $149 per month, FOX Business anchor Liz Claman reported.

Moore noted that the cost of birth control pills and injections is about the same for Novo Nordisk to manufacture, but making the pill more affordable has been a priority for the drugmaker.

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

“Both the injection and the pill have a secondary indication, which is a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease,” Moore said.

The Food and Drug Administration classifies the drug as a heart disease preventative drug.

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While Wegovy pills are the only oral GLP-1 drug approved by the FDA for weight loss, Novo Nordisk competitor Eli Lilly is close to approving its oral version.

Eli Lilly headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 3, 2023. (EJ Mast/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)

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

“If you stop treatment, the weight is likely to come back, so long-term treatment is important,” he said.

“Just as if you were taking medication for high blood pressure or medication for diabetes, long-term treatment is essential,” Moore added.

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Claman asked whether Novo Nordisk is exploring alternatives that don’t require lifetime use.

“There is a lot of research and development [research and development] “That’s what’s happening, and of course we’re in the middle of that,” Moore said.