By Jasmine LawsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe name "Ozempic 2.0" has been floating around on various outlets and on social media, as a trending nickname for the next generation of weight loss drugs that are in the works for 2026.
Both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have announced that they are working on new drugs that can be taken orally and used to manage type-2 diabetes and weight loss - although Ozempic's manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, has not mentioned an 'Ozempic 2.0.'
Instead, the manufacturer recently announced its new drug 'Wegovy in a pill' achieved notable impacts on weight loss in a study.
Why It Matters
GLP-1 drugs have become increasingly popular because of their notable impact on a person's ability to drop weight. Ozempic is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for type 2 diabetes, reducing cardiovascular risk and chronic kidney disease, but not for weight loss, while Wegovy has been approved for weight loss.
These medications work by lowering blood-sugar levels, but as they are typically very high in cost, few Americans have access to them.
The new developments would therefore increase how many Americans have access to these drugs, and potentially have a more notable effect on U.S. obesity rates.
...What To Know
Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide 25 mg drug, also called 'Wegovy in a pill', has been undergoing various trials, and it has been found to achieve an average weight loss of 13.6 percent versus 2.2 percent with the placebo.
Almost a third of participants had a weight loss of 20 percent or more versus 3.3 percent for placebo, and the drug was also found that improve cardiovascular risk factors.
Meanwhile, Eli Lilly announced in October its new oral GLP-1 orforglipron had performed well in trials, and actually "demonstrated superiority over two active comparators."
Participants taking the highest dose of orforglipron lost an average of 22.9 lbs at 72 weeks, and the drug was also found to lower blood sugar levels to less than or equal to 6.5 percent when taken at the highest dose, which the company said was at or below the American Diabetes Association's definition of diabetes.
The drug can also be taken at any time of the day without restrictions on food and water intake as well.
The new drugs are generating significant excitement, partly because of the fact they can be taken orally, making them easier to take than the current injections.
"Injectables psychologically may be more aggressive and so taking a pill is a more acceptable option," Dr. Caroline Apovian, a professor of medicine and co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, told Newsweek.
While these drugs have shown some successes in their clinical trials, usually oral versions of injectables have "in general less average weight loss and similar side effects profiles," Apovian said.
They will though be much cheaper than the original price of some of the GLP-1 injections like Ozempic, thanks to the manufacturers' cost-cutting deal with President Donald Trump.
Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have said they will sell the drugs directly to consumers for $150 a month, according to The Washington Post, which is hundreds of dollars cheaper than the original cost of Ozempic.
What People Are Saying
Dr. Caroline Apovian, professor of medicine, told Newsweek: "In the end, anything that influences Americans with obesity to see it as the chronic relapsing disease that it is, and to take obesity medications seriously and indefinitely, is an important advance to the field and to assist battling obesity in the U.S. as well as worldwide."
Martin Holst Lange, chief scientific officer and executive vice president of Research & Development at Novo Nordisk, said in a statement: “The oral semaglutide 25 mg data show compelling efficacy for an oral weight management medication with 16.6 percent weight loss and a safety and tolerability profile consistent with injectable Wegovy. Currently, less than 2 percent of individuals with obesity in the U.S. receive obesity medication and Wegovy in a pill may also address patient preference for oral treatment. Pending FDA approval, ample supply will be available to meet the expected U.S. demand as we hope to set a new treatment benchmark for oral weight loss medications for people with overweight or obesity.”
Dr. Louis Aronne, founder and chair of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and former president of The Obesity Society, said in a statement: "Based on my experience leading clinical trials in obesity and diabetes, these data show the potential for orforglipron to offer an efficacy, safety, and tolerability profile consistent with the injectable GLP-1 class. Orforglipron could help health care providers expand treatment options for patients who prefer oral therapies without compromising clinical results."
What Happens Next
Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill is likely to be on the market sooner than Eli Lilly's new drug, as the manufacturer is hoping to have approval from the FDA before the end of the year, meaning it could launch in early 2026, the Washington Post reported.
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