GLP-1 medications have been a life-changing tool to help people manage their blood sugar and lose weight. But the most popular forms of these medications have a big drawback: You have to inject yourself with the drug. That’s a dealbreaker for some people. Plus, these injectable drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, are also costly—up to $500 for a one-month supply. That’s in part due to the need for specialty storage and auto-injector pens. Fellow injectable weight loss medication Zepbound (which is technically a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist drug, but works similarly to Ozempic) can run more than $1,100 for a one-month supply.
When you factor in those hurdles, it’s fair to wonder how close we are to GLP-1 pills. Turns out, there is already a GLP-1 pill on the market—it just doesn’t have the same weight loss impact as Ozempic, Wegovy, and similar injectables. But scientists are working on other oral drugs that can have a big impact on weight. They’re still in the clinical trial phase, but at least one is expected to hit the market within a year or two, if all goes well. Here’s where things stand with GLP-1 pills, plus what’s coming down the pipeline. To read the full story.