The European Commission has approved Novo Nordisk‘s Wegovy® pill as the European Union’s first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist for chronic weight management, expanding treatment options for adults living with obesity and overweight.

The once-daily oral semaglutide 25 mg is indicated for adults with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) or overweight (BMI ≥27 kg/m²) with at least one weight-related comorbidity, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. The approval follows a positive recommendation from the European Medicines Agency‘s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) in May 2026.

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The decision is based on the OASIS clinical trial programme, where the therapy demonstrated an average weight loss of approximately 17% compared with 3% for placebo, with around one-third of participants achieving at least 20% weight loss. The treatment also maintains a safety profile consistent with injectable semaglutide.

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The European Commission also approved the Wegovy® 7.2 mg single-dose injection pen, which has demonstrated approximately 21% weight loss in clinical studies. Novo Nordisk plans to expand the availability of the oral treatment to additional markets during the second half of 2026.

“European Commission approval of Wegovy^® as a once-daily pill brings another important treatment option to people living with obesity,” said Mike Doustdar, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk. “Obesity is a serious chronic disease, and choice can make a real difference. For many people, a tablet may be a simpler and more acceptable way to start and continue treatment. This is more than a regulatory milestone – it is a step toward better and lasting health for people with obesity and a strong societal response to one of Europe’s most significant health challenges.”