Oral Semaglutide Effective for Weight Loss in Overweight or Obesity

THURSDAY, Sept. 25, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Oral semaglutide (25 mg) is effective for weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity without diabetes, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Sean Wharton, M.D., from the University of Toronto, and colleagues conducted a 71-week randomized trial at 22 sites in four countries enrolling adults without diabetes with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or higher or a BMI of 27 kg/m² or higher with at least one obesity-related complication. Participants were randomly assigned to receive oral semaglutide (25 mg) or placebo once daily plus lifestyle interventions (205 and 102 participants, respectively).

The researchers found that the estimated mean change in body weight from baseline to week 64 was −13.6 and −2.2 percent in the oral semaglutide and placebo groups, respectively. Compared with those in the placebo group, participants in the oral semaglutide group were significantly more likely to have body weight reductions of ≥5, ≥10, ≥15, and ≥20 percent and to have improved Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite Clinical Trials Version Physical Function scores. Gastrointestinal adverse events occurred more often with oral semaglutide than placebo (74.0 versus 42.2 percent).

“We all knew this was coming and we all feel that it could potentially be a game changer in terms of adopting these GLP-1s across the board,” Armando Castro-Tié, M.D., senior vice president and physician executive of Northwell Health”s Eastern Region, said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry, including Novo Nordisk, which manufactures semaglutide and funded the study.

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