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People switching from weight-loss injections to Novo's Wegovy® pill lost 4.1% body weight on average after three months, according to real-world data presented at EASD2026
- People with overweight or obesity who switched from injectable GLP-1 based therapies for weight management to oral semaglutide (Wegovy® pill) lost an average of 4.0 kg (8.8 lb) in three months (p<0.001)1
- At three months of switching to the pill, two in five participants (40.7%) achieved 5% or more weight loss, while the proportion of participants with BMI ≥30 kg/m² decreased by 21.6 percentage points (p<0.001)1
- Among participants with available data, most (82.4%) reported at least one treatment improvement, including better-fitting clothes (~69%) and healthier eating (~51%)1
PLAINSBORO, N.J. and BAGSVÆRD, Denmark, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo today announced new real-world data from the OCTANE study, an analysis of de-identified data from the Ro telehealth platform. In the study, adults with overweight or obesity who switched from an injectable GLP-1 based medicine for weight management - either tirzepatide or semaglutide - to once-daily oral semaglutide (Wegovy® pill) and stayed on treatment for 3 months lost an average of 4.1% or 8.8 lbs based on an average starting weight of 221.6 lbs (p <0.001).1 OCTANE was presented during a short oral session at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy, on September 30, 2026.
This analysis represents the first in a previously announced collaboration between Ro and Novo to look at real-world outcomes of weight-loss medication users. It is among the first real-world evidence describing weight loss and other patient experience outcomes in people who switched from injectable weight loss therapy to oral semaglutide. The proportion of patients classified as living with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) fell from 87.1% at baseline to 65.5% at three months.1
"We innovate to meet people with obesity where they are. Some people may choose to switch from injectable to pill — whether that is because of needle anxiety, lifestyle, or simply personal preference," said Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president, head of Research & Development, and chief scientific officer at Novo. "The OCTANE data give us a unique and encouraging early look at what happened in a real-world analysis where patients switched from injectable therapies. After switching, patients experienced significant weight loss and reported treatment satisfaction and lifestyle improvements. That combination of results is promising for future research."
Real-world evidence gathered from actual patient experiences can complement randomized control trials, which are the gold standard for evaluating the safety and efficacy of a treatment.2 Real-world studies evaluate associations and cannot determine causality.3 Limitations of the OCTANE study include: variable timing and completeness of data being collected during routine telehealth care; self-reported data being subject to bias; requiring treatment persistence could result in selection bias; and results not being generalizable to the broader population.1
"In everyday clinical practice, we see patients who respond well to injectable GLP-1 based therapy but who, for personal or practical reasons, want to try an oral option," said Louis J. Aronne, MD, Director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and co-author of the study. "What the OCTANE data showed is that a switch to oral semaglutide may be a viable path for the right patient, with real weight loss and lifestyle improvements in the first three months. It also showed that oral semaglutide helped many participants achieve a BMI under the clinical threshold of obesity (BMI <30 kg/m²). These are exciting early insights on how the pill can individualize obesity care, and we look forward to seeing longer-term outcomes."
The Wegovy® pill is launched in the US, United Arab Emirates, UK, and Germany. Novo will launch the Wegovy® pill in select markets in the coming quarters.
It is important to note that semaglutide injection 2.4 mg and semaglutide tablets 25 mg contain a Boxed Warning for possible thyroid tumors, including cancer, and should not be used in those with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). The most common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdomen) pain, changes in skin sensations, headache, tiredness (fatigue), upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and hair loss.4
About OCTANE
OCTANE was a retrospective cohort analysis evaluating weight change, treatment adherence, and patient satisfaction, three months after switching from injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide to oral semaglutide for weight management among adults with obesity or overweight with at least one obesity-related complication (ORC) enrolled in the Ro telehealth platform.1
The study included a random sample of adults with obesity or overweight (BMI 27-29.9 kg/m2) with at least one ORC (hypertension, dyslipidemia, OSA, CVD) and no history of diabetes or bariatric surgery who were continuously enrolled in the Ro telehealth platform (integrating electronic health records, patient reported data, and pharmacy records). Patients included in this cohort switched from injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide to oral semaglutide (between 1/5/2026-2/7/2026). Patients did not need to be taking injectable weight loss medication for any particular period of time, or to have lost any weight on a prior injectable therapy, to be included in the analysis. Persistence on oral semaglutide over the 3-month follow-up period (no gap > 30 days) was required, as well as self-reported baseline weight within 30 days and at 3 months (+/- 15 days).1
Changes in weight and BMI from baseline to 3 months were evaluated. Treatment improvements were self-reported at 3 months (+/- 15 days) as available using a predefined checklist.
The final sample included 194 patients, with a mean baseline weight of 100.5 kg (221.6 lb), mean BMI of 34.5 kg/m2. Mean time of enrollment (onboarding to Ro platform) to start of oral semaglutide was 5.2 months.1 Mean time from last injectable prescription to oral semaglutide initiation was 36.8 days.1
About obesity
Obesity is a serious, chronic, progressive, and complex disease that requires long-term management.5-7 One key misunderstanding is that this is a disease of just a lack of willpower, when in fact there is underlying biology that may impede people with obesity from losing weight and keeping it off.5,7 Obesity is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, social determinants of health, and the environment.8,9
Novo is the global healthcare company that believes lasting health starts now. For over a century, we've combined leading scientific expertise with a deep understanding of people's lives. We develop treatments and support that help millions of people make progress they can see, feel and sustain now and in the future. Every day, over 67,000 employees around the world advance our purpose to drive change for lasting health. Through our partnerships, programs and investments, we're working to prevent disease, expand access to treatments and reduce our environmental impact to help even more people live healthier lives. In the United States, Novo has a 40-year presence, is headquartered in New Jersey and employs approximately 10,000 people. For more information, visit novonordisk.com and novonordisk-us.com and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, X and YouTube.
Contacts for further information
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Novo Media: |
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Ambre James-Brown (Global)
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Liz Skrbkova (US)
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Novo Investors: |
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Michael Novod (Global)
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Sina Meyer (Global)
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Christoffer Togo Solgaard-Tullin (Global)
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Ida Schaap Melvold (Global)
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Mads Berner Bruun (Global)
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Frederik Taylor Pitter (US)
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Alex Bruce (US)
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WEGOVY®, NOVO NORDISK®, NOVO, and the Apis Bull Logo are trademarks owned by Novo Nordisk A/S.
© 2026 Novo Nordisk All rights reserved. US26SEMO01761 September 2026
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References
- Smith BJ, Divino V, Morgen CS, et al. 3-month real-world weight outcomes among patients with overweight or obesity after switching from injectable semaglutide or tirzepatide to oral semaglutide for weight management: the OCTANE study. Late-breaking abstract LBA 59. European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting 2026.
- Blonde L, Khunti K, Harris SB, et al. Interpretation and impact of real-world clinical data for the practicing clinician. Adv Ther. 2018;35:1763–1774.
- Sheldrick RC. Randomized trials vs real-world evidence: how can both inform decision-making? JAMA. 2023;329(16):1352–1353. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.4855
- Wegovy® (semaglutide) Prescribing Information. Plainsboro, NJ: Novo Nordisk Inc.
- Kaplan LM, Golden A, Jinnett K, et al. Perceptions of barriers to effective obesity care: results from the national ACTION study. Obesity. 2018;26(1):61–69.
- Bray GA, Kim KK, Wilding JPH; World Obesity Federation. Obesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation. Obes Rev. 2017;18(7):715–723.
- Garvey WT, Mechanick JI, Brett EM, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocr Pract. 2016;22 (Suppl 3):1–203.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult obesity facts. Accessed September 2026. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult-obesity-facts/index.html.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Risk Factors for Obesity. Accessed September 2026. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/risk-factors/risk-factors.html.
SOURCE NOVO NORDISK INC.
SOURCE NOVO NORDISK INC.