Australia's first oral peptide: Wegovy pill gets TGA approval

Wegovy, which is currently available as an injectable medication, is set to become the first GLP-1 pill to be prescribed for weight management in Australia.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved the oral medication in doses of 1.5mg, 4mg, 9mg and 25mg on November 3.

Wegovy is indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-energy diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults who meet BMI eligibility and have at least one weight-related comorbidity.

Endocrinologist Dr Michael Hancock told Medical Forum this would also be the first oral peptide available in Australia.

He said doctors should discuss with their patients the best way to take Wegovy in its oral form in regards to their other medications that they may take.

"Patients will need to be mindful that there's a particular way to take it based on food, ensuring that they've got an empty stomach and not with other regular tablets," Dr Hancock said.

He said the indications for the Wegovy pill also included cardiovascular risk reduction.

"It also has an indication for cardiovascular risk reduction, so could be prescribed to those that have had an atherosclerotic cardiovascular event and have a BMI greater than 27, but without having type one or type 2 diabetes," Dr Hancock said.

He said having the oral medication would provide "benefit to those who maybe found it difficult to use injections wanted that kind of benefit but found it difficult to actually start."

Dr Hancock said it was likely other oral incretin therapies would enter the market in Australia in the future.

Chair of the RACGP's obesity specific interest group Dr Mark Mellor said the pill and injectible versions were "broadly equivalent" in terms of side effect profile and the efficacy in terms of weight loss.

"It's just giving people a bit more choice and I think that's a good thing," he said.

"However a big issue around the use of these medications at the moment is in terms of cost and what's affordable for patients."

Dr Mellor said he was unsure if the medication in its pill form would be any cheaper than the injectable option.

"I think its likely patients are still going to be faced with the same challenge of whether they can afford their treatment on an ongoing basis," he said.

Dr Mellor said the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) would be discussing whether to fund semaglutide for patients with cardiovascular disease and obesity this month.

"It was discussed last year, but my understanding is that the government couldn't reach an agreement with Nova Nordisk [the manufacturer] on cost," he said.

"Whilst it's been recommended by the PBAC in November 2025, to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, because there's evidence of benefit of these treatments and safety is well established, the next question is can they agree a price and that hasn't been agreed."

While originally used for management of diabetes, the use of GLP-1s in Australia for the management of weight has increased dramatically since the first such product was approved for such use in 2018.

A study from UNSW Sydney published earlier this year found almost almost have of the half a million Australians prescribed a GLP-1 were using the medications for weight management.

The Wegovy pills are expected to be available in Australia in the coming months.