WASHINGTON, United States, Dec 23, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk announced Monday the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved its popular GLP-1 anti-obesity drug Wegovy to be administered in pill form for weight loss.

"With today's approval of the Wegovy pill, patients will have a convenient, once-daily pill that can help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection," Mike Doustdar, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk, said in a statement.

The FDA had already approved a pill to be used for treating diabetes, but the new development now allows doctors to prescribe the treatment for weight loss.

The new generation of appetite-suppressing drugs using GLP-1 agonists -- which include the brands Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro -- have exploded in popularity in recent years due to their ability to help people lose weight.

US President Donald Trump last month announced deals with Novo Nordisk as well as Eli Lilly to lower the prices of some of their weight-loss drugs in exchange for certainty around tariffs.

The drugs, which can cost more than $1,000 a month for US residents, could offer starting oral doses for as little as $150 under the deal, though the price for injectables would be higher.