Australia Approves Wegovy Weight Loss Pill
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has registered an oral form of the semaglutide drug Wegovy, which is currently available in Australia only as an injection.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Weight Loss
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The Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved registration of the Wegovy oral tablet in 1.5mg, 4mg, 9mg and 25mg strengths for eligible patients. Novo Nordisk plans to make the pill available to eligible Australians later in 2026.
Why it matters
Wegovy and similar drugs Ozempic and Mounjaro have until now been available in Australia only as injectables, so an oral option gives patients a different way to take the treatment. The approval follows earlier approvals granted in the US and UK.
The Wegovy oral tablet is approved in four strengths: 1.5mg, 4mg, 9mg and 25mg, and must be taken once a day. Availability timing beyond 'later in the year', with experts expecting it sometime in 2027, has not been confirmed.
The players
Therapeutic Goods Administration
The Therapeutic Goods Administration is the Australian federal regulator responsible for approving medicines and medical devices for use in Australia.
Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a Danish pharmaceutical company that manufactures Wegovy and Ozempic, and submitted the application for the oral tablet.
The details
The oral semaglutide tablet uses an absorption enhancer called SNAC, which protects the active ingredient long enough for a small amount to cross the stomach lining, since stomach acid destroys most of each dose. Users must take the tablet first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with half a cup of water, and wait at least 30 minutes before consuming anything else.
Timeline
Earlier in 2026: Novo Nordisk submitted its application to sell GLP-1 pills with the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
3 November 2026: The Therapeutic Goods Administration approval of the Wegovy oral tablet was announced.
Later in 2026: Novo Nordisk plans to bring the pill to eligible Australians.
Sometime in 2027: Experts expect the Wegovy pill to be available in Australia.
Roadmap
The oral Wegovy tablet extends the injectable semaglutide already sold as Wegovy in Australia, offering the same active ingredient in a different form. It follows approvals granted in the US and UK, and sits alongside injectable rivals Ozempic and Mounjaro.
For eligible patients, the Wegovy pill would be taken once a day as a tablet rather than an injection, following a strict morning routine on an empty stomach with half a cup of water. Patients must then wait at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything else.
The takeaway
Patients interested in the Wegovy pill should discuss eligibility and the strict dosing routine with their doctor before expecting it to be available. The oral option may suit people who prefer a tablet to an injection once it is released.
What happens next
Novo Nordisk plans to bring the Wegovy pill to eligible Australians later in 2026, with experts expecting availability sometime in 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Weight Loss to see how new treatment options like this pill fit into the broader picture.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News24.
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