Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) reported that its experimental Wegovy oral tablet produced substantial weight loss in a late-stage clinical trial, delivering results comparable to its injectable counterpart. The findings were published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Shares of Novo Nordisk rose 3% in early trading in Copenhagen on Thursday.
The 64-week study involved 307 adults with obesity or overweight, each with at least one related health condition but without diabetes. Participants received 25 mg of oral semaglutide alongside lifestyle interventions.
The pill group achieved an average weight loss of 16.6%, compared with 2.7% for those on placebo.
“Results showed that if all participants adhered to treatment, average weight loss of 16.6% was achieved by people taking oral semaglutide 25 mg compared to 2.7% for placebo at 64 weeks, with over a third (34.4%) experiencing a weight loss of 20% or more, versus 2.9% for placebo,” Novo Nordisk said in a statement.
These results were nearly equivalent to the 17% weight reduction observed in a previous study using the injectable Wegovy.
Even with imperfect adherence, participants on the pill still lost 13.6% on average, versus 2.2% for placebo, with close to a third reaching 20% or more. The trial also reported improvements in cardiovascular risk factors and daily activity levels.
“This is the first time that an oral and injectable weight-loss drug had been more or less at par,” said Ludovic Helfgott, Novo’s executive vice-president of product and portfolio strategy.
Developing an oral form of semaglutide had long been considered unlikely because peptides usually break down in the digestive system before reaching the bloodstream. Novo Nordisk overcame this by including a compound that enhances absorption in the stomach.
Helfgott added that the company is “increasingly convinced of the importance of an oral” option to give patients more flexibility. “A few years ago, it was deemed impossible to put a peptide in a pill,” he said.
Separately, a study released this week found that Wegovy also reduced so-called “food noise,” or intrusive thoughts about eating. The study showed that 46% fewer participants reported constant thoughts about food, while 64% said their mental health improved and 80% adopted healthier habits.
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