Novo Nordisk has announced that the European Commission (EC) has approved Wegovy® (semaglutide) tablets for chronic weight management, making it the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist authorized in the European Union for the treatment of obesity and overweight. The approval also includes a single, ready-to-use 7.2 mg Wegovy injection pen, providing healthcare professionals and patients with additional treatment options.
The approval covers adults with obesity (BMI of 30 kg/m² or greater) or those who are overweight (BMI of 27 kg/m² or greater) and have at least one weight-related medical condition, such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. Wegovy is intended to be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity as part of a comprehensive weight management programme.
According to Novo Nordisk, the oral formulation of Wegovy offers a convenient, non-injectable treatment option that may improve access for people who are hesitant to start injectable therapies. The company said the approval represents an important step in expanding treatment choices for obesity, a chronic disease that affects millions of people across Europe and is associated with a higher risk of serious health complications.
The European Commission also approved a ready-to-use Wegovy 7.2 mg injection pen, designed to simplify administration while supporting patients who require higher-dose semaglutide therapy. Novo Nordisk noted that the new pen eliminates the need for dose adjustments before injection, making treatment more convenient for both patients and healthcare providers.
The EC decision follows positive clinical evidence demonstrating the efficacy and safety of semaglutide in weight management. In clinical studies, treatment with Wegovy, when combined with lifestyle interventions, resulted in clinically meaningful weight loss and improvements in several cardiometabolic risk factors compared with placebo.
Novo Nordisk stated that the marketing of oral Wegovy across European countries will be introduced gradually, with availability depending on national regulatory procedures, pricing negotiations and reimbursement decisions in individual member states.
The latest approval further strengthens Novo Nordisk's obesity care portfolio and reflects the growing global demand for innovative GLP-1 therapies. As healthcare systems increasingly recognize obesity as a chronic disease requiring long-term management, the availability of both oral and injectable treatment options is expected to provide greater flexibility in tailoring therapy to individual patient needs.
