Wegovy Oral Tablets Set to Arrive in Israeli Pharmacies This Week
Oral tablets of the Wegovy weight-loss drug by Novo Nordisk are arriving in Israeli pharmacies, offering an alternative for patients avoiding weekly injections.
Starting this coming Wednesday, the oral tablet version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, manufactured by Novo Nordisk, will arrive at pharmacies across Israel. This move represents a significant milestone for hundreds of thousands of Israelis dealing with excess weight, particularly those who have been reluctant to use weekly injectables up until now.
The Shift to Oral Medication
The transition from an injection pen to an oral tablet represents the next phase in the global competition within the tens-of-billion-dollar GLP-1 drug market. According to clinical data, daily intake of Wegovy pills leads to an average weight loss of approximately 16.6% of body weight after a consecutive year of treatment. This figure gives the preparation a distinct advantage over competing treatments that have recently entered the Israeli market.
However, when comparing the pills to existing market injections, a gap in efficacy is noted. The leading injections, including injectable Wegovy and the competing Mounjaro by pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, achieve impressive weight loss rates of 20% and even 25% of body weight. Nevertheless, industry experts estimate that the convenience of taking a pill, alongside the absence of refrigeration needs and repeated injections, will shift demand patterns.
Global Competition and Manufacturing
The arrival of the pills intensifies the fierce competition between international pharmaceutical companies. The Danish manufacturer Novo Nordisk, which paved the way with Ozempic and Wegovy, seeks to solidify its leading position against American competitor Eli Lilly. The development of the tablets aims not only to improve patient compliance but also to resolve severe production bottlenecks in injection pen manufacturing.
The monthly cost of treatment with Wegovy pills is expected to range between 600 and 1,300 shekels per month, depending on the required dosage.
In terms of safety and side effects, the profile of the tablets is similar to that known from the GLP-1 family, including nausea and abdominal pain. For most users, these are transient phenomena that gradually dissipate.
