A DAILY weight-loss pill could be approved in Britain within days, it has been reported.
A pill version of the weight loss jab Wegovy is expected to be greenlit by officials soon, according to sources close to the Danish drug giant Novo Nordisk.
A once-daily pill version of weight loss jab Wegovy could be approved in Britain within days, it has been reported Credit: Getty – Contributor
The pill contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient as the Wegovy jab Credit: Getty
Reported by the Daily Mail , the once-daily tablet contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient in the blockbuster jab version.
The decision, set to be made by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), means the treatment would become a licensed in the UK and would be available to millions.
The pill, however, is unlikely to be available immediately on the as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) must first carry out its own approval.
The Wegovy Pill, as it is officially called, was approved for use in the US in December 2025 and became from early January.
It helped patients shed up to 20 per cent of their body weight in trials in America.
Research suggests that significantly more people are expected to take the Wegovy Pill than existing weight-loss jabs, which also include Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro.
Experts say one reason for this is that the tablets will likely be cheaper.
In the US, the Wegovy Pill costs around $199 (£147.80) a month for the 1.5mg and 4mg tablets.
The highest-dose pills – 9mg and 25mg – cost $299 (£222) a month, according to the drug makers website.
Research also shows that many patients are put off by due to the fact they have to self-inject.
Around one in five patients considering weight-loss medication are put off by a fear of needles, according to polling conducted by digital healthcare provider Numan.
It found that twice as many Brits say they would rather take a weight-loss pill than a jab.
At least 1.6 million adults in the UK are thought to be using the jabs, with a further 3.3 million considering taking them.
Dr Tsolmon Tsogbayar, senior clinical product lead at Numan , said: “The arrival of oral GLP-1 medication is hugely significant because it has the potential to make evidence-based treatment accessible to a much wider group of patients who previously felt excluded from the current options available.”
Experts say the pill is likely to be cheaper than Wegovy injections once it becomes available in the UK Credit: PA What you need to know about the Wegovy Pill...
Wegovy is a prescription-only-medicine (POM) containing semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1).
It is available either on the NHS or from a private doctor, and is used to treat obesity.
So, what is the Wegovy Pill?
The pill contains the same active ingredient as the jab – semaglutide – and can be prescribed as a 1.5mg, 4mg, 9mg or 25mg dose.
It works by mimicking the actions of GLP-1, a natural hormone that suppresses your appetite, slows digestion, and keeps you feeling satisfied for longer.
The pill can start to reduce your appetite within the first few days to weeks of starting treatment, but it can take several months for you to notice the full benefits.
The Wegovy pill is a convenient alternative because it involves swallowing a daily tablet rather than injecting yourself with the medication once a week.
Where will it be available?
Once the pill has been approved by the MHRA, it will not be available on the NHS until it has gone through a second stage of approvals with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
When this happens, it will be widely available on prescription.
It may be possible to get the pill on a private prescription, as long as you are eligible, once the MHRA approves it.
How much will it cost?
Novo Nordisk have not yet announced prices for the Wegovy Pill in the UK.
In the US, however, it is currently sold for $199 (£147.80) a month for the 1.5mg and 4mg tablets.
For the 9mg and 25mg pills, the cost is (£222) a month, according to the drug makers website.
How does it compare to the Wegovy jab?
According to Superdrug Online Doctor, the Wegovy jab has an average weight loss of 21 per cent over 72 weeks on the maximum dose.
It says the Wegovy pill has an average of 13.6 per cent after 64 weeks on the 25mg maximum daily dose.
In trials in the US, it helped patients shed up to 20 per cent of their body weight.
How often do you take it?
The pill should be taken once a day on an empty stomach when you wake up. It should be had with a sip of water and people should wait 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking any other oral medication.
The pill should not be crushed, cut, chewed or dissolved.
The Wegovy pill dosing schedule is as follows:
- days 1 to 30 (starting dose) – 1.5mg tablet once daily
- days 31 to 60 – 4mg tablet once daily
- days 61 to 90 – 9mg tablet once daily
- days 91 onwards (maximum dose) – 25mg tablet once daily
What other benefits does it have?
Wegovy has shown to reduce major cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke.
It also helps to regulate blood sugar by stimulating insulin production and can be used for type 2 diabetes.
Some research has shown that the drug can alleviate symptoms of sleep apnea and reduce the risk of major kidney events.
Sources: Superdrug Online Doctor and Novo Nordisk
The Wegovy Pill banishes hunger cravings and boosts fat burning, working in the same way as the including and Monjaro.
Novo Nordisk have said the daily pill can help people shed as much weight as they would with injections.
It’s the first pill of its kind to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), giving Novo Nordisk an early advantage over rival Eli Lilly’s Orforglipron, which is still in clinical trials.
According to the Danish manufacturer , one pill has to be taken each day on an empty stomach with a sip of water.
Patients are then told to wait 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking any other oral medications.
Commenting on the news of imminent approval, Dr Mitra Dutt, Associate Medical Director at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, said: “An effective oral medicine for obesity could help broaden access and encourage more eligible patients to seek support.
“For some, an oral treatment may offer greater convenience and flexibility, and for others it may form part of a longer-term, clinically guided approach to weight management where treatment options are reviewed over time.”
When the pill was given the greenlight in the US, Mike Doustdar, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk, said: As the first oral GLP-1 treatment for people living with overweight or , the Wegovy pill provides patients with a new, convenient treatment option that can help patients start or continue their weight loss journey.
“No other current oral GLP-1 treatment can match the weight loss delivered by the Wegovy pill,” he claimed.
As for Eli Lilly’s pill – the rival once-daily weight loss tablet – it is expected that it will be cheaper than its jab counterparts as the pills are easier and cheaper to produce.
The pharmaceutical giant revealed it expects pills could be launched “at scale” worldwide .
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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