Ozempic is now coming in pill-form
The time has come when all the fears of Ozempic and its new body ideal are becoming an actuality. The weight-loss drug, which is an injection used to treat diabetes, is being turned into an oral pill. Drugmakers are reportedly now racing to bring it to the market.
Sold under the varying brand names of Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, the pill has been found to show results of reducing weight and blood sugar that are just as effective as the injection. The companies Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and Novo Nordisk are now all developing the pill.
The pill-form drug will be a much easier way to consume the injection, with doctors believing this could lead to increased interest. The first trial has been funded by Novo Nordisk – who already manufacture Wegovy and Ozemopic – and has found that 50 milligrams a day are the same as a weekly Wegovy shot for those who do not have diabetes.
This is a slightly higher dose, meaning that there will be more side effects. In the trials of those without diabetes who were overweight or obese, 80% reported gastrointestinal issues. A nearing 13% also experienced “altered skin sensation”, according to NBC News. There is also the belief that the drug could have a future as anti-addiction medication, with another side-effect being it takes the pleasure out of activities so people may not want to take it for more than a year or two.
In the second trial by Novo Nordisk, oral Ozempic was taken by those with Type 2 diabetes. Some took 25 to 50mg and others 14mg. 13% on the higher dose stopped taking the medication due to side effects, which they reported to be adverse. There is currently an oral version called Rybelsus available from Novo Nordisk at 14mg, but has only been approved for adults with Type 2 diabetes.
The pills will probably not become available until next year at the earliest, as doctors continue to explore the risk of the drug and its side effects in this new easy-access form.
