FDA ApprovedSemaglutideOralNew DrugDecember 2025
FDA approves Wegovy pill — the first oral GLP-1 for weight loss
The FDA approved oral semaglutide 25mg (Wegovy pill) on December 22, 2025 — the first oral GLP-1 drug approved for weight loss. It launched in the US in January 2026 at ~$149/month self-pay, dramatically cheaper than the weekly injection (~$1,350/month). In the OASIS 4 trial (307 adults, 64 weeks), participants lost an average of 13.6% of body weight (16.6% with full adherence). The pill requires a 30-minute fasting window before eating.
Phase 3TirzepatideSemaglutide2025
Tirzepatide beats semaglutide in first head-to-head trial
The SURMOUNT-5 trial — the first direct head-to-head comparison of tirzepatide and semaglutide in people with obesity — found tirzepatide superior on body weight reduction and waist circumference at 72 weeks.
Phase 3CagriSemaPipeline2025
CagriSema achieves 20.4% weight loss in REDEFINE 1
The REDEFINE 1 phase 3 trial of CagriSema (cagrilintide + semaglutide) in 3,417 adults without type 2 diabetes showed 20.4% average weight loss and 22.7% with full adherence. 50.7% of participants reached a healthy BMI.
Phase 3OrforglipronPipelineOral2025
Orforglipron: oral GLP-1 pill achieves 12.4% weight loss in Phase 3
The ATTAIN-1 trial of orforglipron — the first oral small-molecule GLP-1 agonist to complete Phase 3 — showed 12.4% mean weight loss at the highest dose (36 mg) over 72 weeks. An FDA NDA was submitted in 2025.
CardiovascularSemaglutidePhase 32023
Semaglutide reduces heart attacks and strokes by 20% — SELECT trial
The SELECT trial (n=17,604) demonstrated that semaglutide 2.4 mg reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 20% vs. placebo in adults with established CVD and obesity without diabetes — the first weight loss drug to show this effect.
Phase 2RetatrutidePipelineTriple agonist2023
Retatrutide Phase 2: 24.2% weight loss — highest ever recorded in an RCT at the time
Phase 2 results for retatrutide (triple GIP + GLP-1 + glucagon agonist) showed up to 24.2% mean weight loss at 48 weeks — without plateau. All participants at 8 mg and 12 mg achieved ≥5% weight loss. Phase 3 (TRIUMPH) now underway.
TirzepatideWeight regainPhase 32024
Stopping tirzepatide leads to significant weight regain — SURMOUNT-4
In the SURMOUNT-4 trial, participants who switched from tirzepatide to placebo regained an average of 14% body weight over 52 weeks. Only 16.6% maintained 80%+ of their prior weight loss, vs. 89.5% who continued tirzepatide. Confirms that obesity requires chronic treatment.
Phase 1AmycretinPipelineOral2024
Amycretin oral pill shows 13.1% weight loss in 12 weeks — beating oral semaglutide
Early Phase 1 data for Novo Nordisk's amycretin (GLP-1 + amylin single molecule) in oral form showed 13.1% weight loss in 12 weeks vs. 1.1% placebo — outperforming oral semaglutide at the same timepoint. Phase 3 planned for Q1 2026.
OrforglipronPipelinePhase 32025
Patients switching from injections to orforglipron pill maintain their weight loss
The ATTAIN-MAINTAIN trial showed that patients switching from injectable GLP-1 drugs (Wegovy or Zepbound) to orforglipron maintained their weight loss — average difference of only 0.9 kg. Supports orforglipron as a viable transition from injection to pill.