Novo Nordisk Receives EU Approval for First Oral GLP-1 Weight-Loss Treatment

Jul 15, 2026

The European Commission approves Novo Nordisk's once-daily Wegovy pill, making it the first oral GLP-1 weight-loss treatment cleared in the EU. The approval covers adults with a BMI of at least 30, or 27 with a weight-related condition. In trials, patients lost an average of 17% of their body weight. The approval gives Novo Nordisk a lead over Eli Lilly's Foundayo, which awaits EU clearance. Novo Nordisk plans to expand the pill's rollout in the second half of 2026.

EU approval of oral Wegovy

▪The European Commission's approval covers oral semaglutide 25 mg for adults with a body mass index of at least 30, or at least 27 with one weight-related health condition, alongside diet and exercise.
▪The European Commission approved Novo Nordisk's once-daily Wegovy pill for weight management in adults with obesity or who are overweight on July 15, 2026.
▪The European Commission's approval of the oral Wegovy pill follows a positive recommendation from the European Medicines Agency in May 2026.

Oral weight-loss pill competition

▪The European Commission's approval of the Wegovy pill makes it the first oral GLP-1 weight-loss treatment cleared for use across the European Union.
▪Eli Lilly's competing weight-loss pill, Foundayo, has not yet cleared the European Union regulatory pathway as of July 15, 2026.

Wegovy pill efficacy data

▪Clinical trial data showed that patients taking the oral Wegovy pill lost an average of approximately 17% of their body weight.

Wegovy pill safety profile

▪Side effects for the oral Wegovy pill were in line with the known safety profile of injectable semaglutide.
▪Treatment discontinuations linked to side effects were 6.9% for the oral Wegovy pill compared to 5.9% for the placebo.

Global Wegovy pill rollout

▪The oral Wegovy pill is currently available in the United States, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates.
▪Novo Nordisk plans to launch the oral Wegovy pill in additional countries in the second half of 2026.