Ozempic maker to launch diabetes pill

Novo Nordisk will launch an Ozempic pill for diabetes in select doses in the second quarter of this year.

The Danish drugmaker said the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Ozempic tablets in 1.5 milligram, 4 milligram and 9 milligram doses.

The new Ozempic branding is intended to help patients and healthcare professionals more easily recognise the available treatment options for type 2 diabetes, the company said.

“Because Ozempic is so well known, people often ask whether there’s an oral option for people with type 2 diabetes, without realising Rybelsus has been available since 2019,” said Ed Cinca, senior vice president of marketing and patient solutions at Novo Nordisk.

Semaglutide tablets at 3 milligram, 7 milligram and 14 milligram doses have been available under the brand name Rybelsus for diabetes since 2019.

The pill is also approved to reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular conditions (heart and blood vessel problems) in adults with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for these events.

The FDA approved the new doses based on a bioequivalence study (which checks that two medicines act the same in the body) and clinical trial data for Rybelsus, Novo said.

The company expects a decision from the health regulator on a 25 milligram dose of Ozempic tablets by the end of 2026.