The United States has approved a pill version of Wegovy, the widely used weight-loss drug developed by Novo Nordisk, bringing the medication a step closer to broader global availability. However, patients in the UAE may still have to wait, as the drug has not yet received local regulatory approval.
The once-daily oral version of Wegovy has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, allowing the company to begin sales in the US in early January. Until now, Wegovy has only been available as a weekly injection.
Novo Nordisk confirmed that the pill is still pending approval outside the US, including in the United Arab Emirates. The company said it is currently focused on the US rollout and has not announced timelines for other markets.
The oral version of Wegovy is designed for adults with obesity, or those who are overweight with weight-related medical conditions, and is intended to be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. In the US, it has also been approved to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events in certain high-risk patients.
Approval was based on results from clinical trials showing patients lost an average of around 13 to 16 per cent of their body weight over 64 weeks. In practical terms, this equates to roughly 15 kilograms of weight loss for many patients.
Healthcare providers in the UAE say demand for weight-loss medications is already high and could increase further once a pill-based option becomes available. However, they stress that the drug cannot be sold locally until it completes a separate regulatory review process.
Medical experts note that new formulations typically require approval from the European Medicines Agency before they can be submitted for registration in the UAE. The process can take several months or longer, depending on regulatory requirements.
Doctors have also reiterated that Wegovy and similar GLP-1 medications are prescription-only drugs in the UAE and are not intended for cosmetic weight loss. They are prescribed for patients who meet specific medical criteria and must be used under medical supervision.
There is no official pricing yet for the pill version of Wegovy in the UAE, and insurance coverage for weight-loss medications remains limited, with most patients expected to pay out of pocket if and when the drug is approved.
