An Ozempic Pill May Be Coming Soon, Replacing Injections: ‘Game Changer’

New research evaluates the effectiveness of the key ingredient in type 2 diabetes drugs like Ozempic when taken orally instead of injected

The race has kicked off for drugmakers to manufacture an oral version of the injectable type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic and obesity drug Wegovy, with new research suggesting that an oral version of the drug could be similarly effective.

The results of two separate clinical studies shared on Sunday at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions suggest that the active ingredients of Ozempic and Wegovy could be similarly effective for weight loss when taken orally (in a higher dosage) compared to an injection.

One study, which was published in The Lancet, showed that a daily oral dose of 50 milligrams of semaglutide, the active substance in Ozempic and Wegovy, has similar efficacy as weekly Wegovy injections in reducing weight in people who are overweight or obese. The amount of semaglutide in the daily pill from the trial is over 20 times the amount of the compound in the weekly Wegovy injections, which contains 2.4 milligrams.

The study tracked 667 participants who took the daily 50 milligram semaglutide pill over the course of 68 weeks. Those taking the pill lost, on average, 15% of their body weight, and 85% of the total participants lost at least 5% of their body weight.

“I suspect there are a lot of people that are not using these treatments because it requires an injection,” said Dr. Robert Gabbay, the chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association at the organization's Scientific Sessions on Sunday. “If you could say, ‘Well, actually, it doesn’t,’ that’s big. It really is a game changer.”

The results of the second study supported the higher dosage of semaglutide in the oral version. Participants were randomly assigned a daily oral dose of the compound in 14, 25, and 50 milligrams, and the two higher doses were more effective in weight loss than the lowest dose.

With the higher dosage of semaglutide also come increased side effects. 80% of those taking the 50 milligram dose of the oral drug reported gastrointestinal problems, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. In the second study with the varied dosages, the higher the dosage, the more frequently side effects were reported.

The injectable forms of Ozempic and Wegovy have also produced similar gastrointestinal side effects.

Related: Are Ozempic and Wegovy Safe? All About the Diabetes and Obesity Drugs

An oral version of the drug is not a new idea — a lower-dose version of oral semaglutide called Rybelsus from Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy, is already on the market and approved for Type 2 diabetes. Rybelsus comes in 7 and 14 milligram daily doses of semaglutide, but Dr. Gabbay said the drug is less effective than Ozempic and Wegovy.

While the studies looking at the effectiveness of the higher-dose pills were released on Sunday, it’s still unclear if or when those higher-dose semaglutide pills will debut on the market.

An oral version of the drugs, which have skyrocketed in popularity in Hollywood for casual weight loss, would lower the barrier of entry to use the drug for many. Doctors have expressed frustration that Ozempic and Wegovy aren't getting to people with diabetes who need them, and the FDA has listed a shortage for both drugs, which would likely only be exacerbated with a comparably effective oral version on the market.

Related: Stars Who've Spoken About Ozempic — and What They've Said

"The Hollywood trend is concerning," Dr. Caroline Apovian, co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston tells PEOPLE. "We're not talking about stars who need to lose 10 pounds. We're talking about people who are dying of obesity, are going to die of obesity."

"You're taking away from patients with diabetes," she continues. "We have lifesaving drugs… and the United States public that really needs these drugs can't get them."

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