A New Era of Diet Drugs Begins, GLP-1 Pills Are Said to Be More Practical and Accessible

JAKARTA - Obesity is a chronic health condition that is associated with an increased risk of various diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and other metabolic disorders.

In recent years, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone-based therapy has increasingly attracted attention, as it is considered to help weight management through appetite regulation, gastric emptying, and blood sugar control mechanisms.

As the prevalence of obesity increases in various countries, the need for more accessible therapies is also growing. So far, most GLP-1 therapies are available in the form of injections. However, not all patients feel comfortable using a syringe, so the development of oral medications or pills is seen as an important step in expanding access to treatment.

In the midst of this development, pharmaceutical manufacturers are beginning to compete to develop oral formulations for obesity therapy. One of the highlights is the move by pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk to introduce GLP-1 pills for weight loss therapy through the oral Wegovy product.

According to a CNBC report, since the launch of the Wegovy pill in the United States in January 2026, there has been a significant increase in public interest in GLP-1 therapy. Telemedicine provider LifeMD reported a surge in new patients after the presence of the oral formulation.

"We've seen an increase in the number of new patients from 300 to 400 patients per day to 600 to 1,000 patients per day," said Justin Schreiber, CEO of LifeMD, quoted from a Novo Nordisk official statement.

He admitted that he had predicted the demand, but the extent of public interest was still surprising.

"There is no doubt that the launch of Novo Nordisk's oral drug has improved access," said Schreiber.

The presence of oral drugs is considered to open up opportunities for patients who were previously reluctant to undergo therapy due to fear of needles or limited access to injection drugs. In addition, pill formulations are also considered more practical for some patients in undergoing long-term treatment.

In the four months since its launch in the US, tens of thousands of people have reportedly started using the Wegovy pill, with most being new users in the GLP-1 category. The product uses the same active ingredient as the weekly injectable version, semaglutide, which has been widely known in weight management and diabetes therapy.

The effectiveness of GLP-1 therapy is also an aspect that continues to be considered in the development of obesity drugs. In the middle of last year, market attention was focused on the results of a competitor drug trial showing an average weight loss of around 12%.

On the other hand, Novo Nordisk has begun to highlight data from oral semaglutide trials that have reportedly produced weight loss approaching 17% in separate studies.

Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar said interest in oral therapy was quite high. In an interview with CNBC in March, he said, "People are very interested because this is the most powerful GLP-1 pill currently on the market."

However, health experts still emphasize that obesity therapy does not only depend on drugs. Managing ideal body weight generally still requires a comprehensive approach, including a healthy diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and medical consultation to determine the therapy that is appropriate for each individual's condition.

In the future, the development of oral GLP-1 formulations is expected to continue to grow as the need for obesity therapy that is easier to reach and convenient to use increases. Novo Nordisk itself in March 2026 announced a manufacturing investment of 500 million US dollars in Ireland to support future demand for its oral products.