Wegovy® pill prescriptions surpass 3 million, 1 filled roughly every 5 seconds, bringing GLP-1 therapy to people with obesity previously untreated, while Novo Nordisk unveils new data at ADA 2026

Wegovy® pill prescriptions surpass 3 million, 1 filled roughly every 5 seconds, bringing GLP-1 therapy to people with obesity previously untreated, while Novo Nordisk unveils new data at ADA 2026

PR Newswire

  • Three million prescriptions for Wegovy® pill since launch on January 5th serves as another milestone in one of the strongest US pharmaceutical launches by volume on record1
  • The majority of new Wegovy® pill prescriptions are for people new to GLP-1 therapy, bringing obesity medicine to many previously untreated1
  • This news comes as Novo Nordisk has a large presence at the American Diabetes Association’s 2026 Scientific Sessions, including a variety of Wegovy® analyses in adults with obesity

PLAINSBORO, N.J. and BAGSVÆRD, Denmark, June 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Novo Nordisk today announced Wegovy® (semaglutide) tablets 25 mg has surpassed three million prescriptions in just over five months, establishing Wegovy® pill as one of the strongest US pharmaceutical launches by volume on record.¹ The three million milestone corresponds to one prescription filled roughly every five seconds, reflecting continued uptake since Wegovy® pill became available in January 2026. Further underscoring its rapid adoption, Wegovy® pill reached its initial one million prescription milestone just 12 weeks after reaching US pharmacies and online providers (week of 1/5/26 to week of 3/23/26), with an additional two million prescriptions accumulated in an even shorter span of just 10 weeks (week of 3/23/26 to week of 6/1/26). The majority of new prescriptions filled for Wegovy® pill (more than 80%) are for people new to GLP-1 therapy, indicating the oral formulation is expanding the obesity treatment market, rather than replacing existing therapies.¹

“Wegovy® offers adults with obesity significant weight loss, along with diet and exercise, and is FDA-approved to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with obesity with known heart disease – making Wegovy® pill truly distinct. With Wegovy® pill and Wegovy® HD available for weight management, patients and their healthcare providers are making choices that fit their needs, resulting in the clear adoption for both treatments,” said Jamey Millar, executive vice president, US Operations of Novo Nordisk. “Novo Nordisk remains determined to continue playing a major part in addressing the global public health challenge of obesity by deeply understanding the needs of those who live with it. That is why we are at ADA 2026 – to talk to patients, healthcare professionals, and investors to present our data but also listen and learn.”

This year, more patients starting a new weight management therapy have filled prescriptions for Wegovy® than any other available obesity medication. Alongside the three million prescription milestone for Wegovy® pill, the recently launched Wegovy® HD (semaglutide) injection 7.2 mg has demonstrated strong uptake in the early days of availability.1

Expanding affordable access to medicines is a priority for Novo Nordisk including the expansion of coverage for those with insurance in the US. Those with commercial insurance coverage can access Wegovy® for as little as $25 per month through existing savings programs.* The recently announced Medicare GLP-1 Bridge builds on these efforts to expand access and will provide eligible Medicare beneficiaries living with obesity access to Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection and tablets for a $50 monthly copay, beginning July 1, 2026.  In addition, Wegovy® is available through a range of access options, including more than 70,000 US pharmacies, NovoCare® Pharmacy, select telehealth providers, and others.

This announcement coincides with Novo Nordisk presenting an array of clinical data at the American Diabetes Association® 2026 86th Scientific Sessions in New Orleans (June 5-8, 2026), including a variety of Wegovy® analyses in adults with obesity.

Novo Nordisk is preparing for the first launches of the Wegovy® pill outside the United States in the second half of 2026, including the recently announced approval and launch in the United Arab Emirates.

Investor relations event
Novo Nordisk will host an investor event covering ADA 2026 data and the Wegovy® pill commercial milestone on June 7, 2026 at 6:30 pm CDT. The event will be accessible via live webcast on the Novo Nordisk investor website.

*Pay as little as $25, subject to a maximum savings of $100/month. Eligibility and restrictions apply. Government beneficiaries excluded. Month defined as 1 box of 4 pens of Wegovy® and 1 bottle of 30 tablets of Wegovy®. Novo Nordisk reserves the right to modify or cancel this program at any time. See full terms at WegovyTerms.com and NovoCarePharmacyTerms.com.
Terms apply. For eligible Medicare patients prescribed Wegovy® for a covered FDA-approved indication. Eligibility criteria will be determined by CMS. This information is not a guarantee of coverage. Month defined as 1 box of 4 pens of Wegovy® and 1 bottle of 30 tablets of Wegovy®.

About the prescription data
The source data for the over 3 million prescriptions for all strengths of Wegovy® pill includes Novo Nordisk Inc. partner-reported paid claims only from January 5, 2026 through June 2, 2026. Pharmaceutical launch volume data based on IQVIA paid total prescriptions (TRx) of over 1888 US branded launches analyzed (excluding vaccines) since 2013, at 4 months post launch. Source data for 82% of Wegovy® pill new-to-brand (NBRx) starts year-to-date (YTD) 2026 is IQVIA LRx, YTD based on week ending January 9, 2026 through May 15, 2026, with “new to GLP-1” based on 12 months look back for any other (obesity or diabetes) GLP-1 medicine (not including compounded products). IQVIA data of paid TRx and paid NBRx data were used to measure Wegovy® pill or Wegovy® HD volume data over the specified time periods, with NBRx using a 12 month lookback period; if a paid prescription for the same brand does not exist in the look back period, then a script is deemed to be new to the brand.1

What is Wegovy®?

Wegovy® (semaglutide) tablets are a prescription medicine used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to:

  • reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
  • help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection is a prescription medicine used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to:

  • reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
  • help adults and children aged 12 years and older with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.

It is not known if Wegovy® injection is safe and effective:

  • to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years
  • to help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off

It is not known if Wegovy® tablets are safe and effective for use in people under 18 years of age.

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy® and other medicines that work like Wegovy® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
  • Do not use Wegovy® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)

Do not use Wegovy® if:

  • you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
  • you have had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of the ingredients in Wegovy® injection or Wegovy® tablets. See symptoms of serious allergic reaction in “What are the possible side effects of Wegovy®?”

Before using Wegovy®, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical conditions, including if you:

  • have or have had problems with your pancreas or kidneys
  • have type 2 diabetes and a history of diabetic retinopathy
  • are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Wegovy® may harm your unborn baby. You should stop using Wegovy® 2 months before you plan to become pregnant
  • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with Wegovy® tablets. It is not known if Wegovy® when received through an injection passes into your breast milk

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Wegovy® may affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect the way Wegovy® works. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other medicines to treat diabetes, including sulfonylureas or insulin. Wegovy® slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly.

What are the possible side effects of Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:

  • inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Wegovy® and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without nausea or vomiting. Sometimes you may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back
  • gallbladder problems. Wegovy® may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Some gallstones may need surgery. Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms, such as pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools
  • increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), especially those who also take medicines for diabetes such as insulin or sulfonylureas. This can be a serious side effect. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before you start and while you take Wegovy®. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include dizziness or light-headedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability or mood changes, sweating, slurred speech, hunger, confusion or drowsiness, shakiness, weakness, headache, fast heartbeat, or feeling jittery
  • dehydration leading to kidney problems. Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration), which may cause kidney problems. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that does not go away
  • severe stomach problems. Stomach problems, sometimes severe, have been reported in people who use Wegovy®. Tell your healthcare provider if you have stomach problems that are severe or will not go away
  • serious allergic reactions. Stop using Wegovy® and get medical help right away, if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; or very rapid heartbeat
  • change in vision in people with type 2 diabetes. Tell your healthcare provider if you have changes in vision during treatment with Wegovy®
  • increased heart rate. Wegovy® can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes
  • food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). Wegovy® may increase the chance of food getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Wegovy® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures

The most common side effects of Wegovy® may include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdomen) pain, changes in skin sensations, headache, tiredness (fatigue), upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and hair loss.

Please click here for Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide for Wegovy®. 

About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company with a heritage of more than 100 years in diabetes care. Building on this foundation, our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases — from diabetes and obesity to rare blood and endocrine disorders — by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. We are committed to long-term, responsible business practices that deliver financial, social and environmental value. Headquartered in Denmark and operating in around 80 countries, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 67,900 people and markets products in roughly 170 countries. In the United States, Novo Nordisk has a 40-year presence, is headquartered in New Jersey and employs approximately 10,000 people across more than 10 manufacturing, R&D, and corporate locations in seven states plus Washington, D.C. For more information, visit novonordisk.com and novonordisk-us.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Contacts for further information 

Media:

Liz Skrbkova (US)
+1 609 917 0632

USMediaRelations@novonordisk.com

Ambre James-Brown (Global)
+45 3079 9289
Globalmedia@novonordisk.com

Investors:

Frederik Taylor Pitter (US)

+1 609 613 0568
fptr@novonordisk.com

Michael Novod (Global)

+45 3075 6050
nvno@novonordisk.com

Jacob Martin Wiborg Rode (Global)

+45 3075 5956
jrde@novonordisk.com

Sina Meyer (Global)

+45 3079 6656
azey@novonordisk.com

Max Ung (Global)

+45 3077 6414
mxun@novonordisk.com

Christoffer Sho Togo Tullin (Global)

+45 3079 1471
cftu@novonordisk.com

Alex Bruce (Global)

+45 3444 2613
axeu@novonordisk.com

Mads Berner Bruun (Global)

+45 3075 2936 
mbbz@novonordisk.com 

_______________________
 

Reference 

  1. Novo Nordisk A/S. Data on file. 

© 2026 Novo Nordisk All rights reserved.  US26SEMO01179  June 2026

Novo Nordisk, Inc.  (PRNewsFoto/Novo Nordisk)

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