TLDR
- Novo Nordisk has started a new clinical trial testing lower doses of its Wegovy weight-loss pill
- The 450-patient study began August 12 and runs until 2028, testing two undisclosed low doses against a placebo
- The current lowest starter dose is 1.5mg, with patients able to work up to 25mg
- Wegovy pill sales hit $500 million in Q2 2026, up from $350 million in Q1
- The pill has been prescribed more than 5 million times since its U.S. launch in January 2026
Novo Nordisk (NVO) is running a new clinical trial to find the lowest dose of its Wegovy weight-loss pill that still helps patients shed weight. NVO stock was up 1.47% at the time of reporting.
The study enrolled 450 overweight patients and kicked off on August 12. It will run through 2028 and is comparing two low, undisclosed doses of the pill against a placebo.
Patients in the trial must have a BMI of at least 27, which falls into the World Health Organization’s overweight category. The company has not disclosed what the exact doses being tested are.
The goal is to find the most optimal lower dose of oral semaglutide for treating people living with overweight or obesity.
Right now, the lowest available starter dose of the Wegovy pill is 1.5 milligrams. Patients can work their way up to the highest dose of 25 milligrams over time.
Strong Demand at Lower Doses
Novo Nordisk has already flagged that uptake has been especially strong at its lower doses, particularly among self-paying customers. In the U.S., the two lower-dose versions are priced at roughly half the cost of the higher doses for those paying out of pocket.
That pricing gap is likely driving some of the demand. Lower doses mean lower costs, and for patients without insurance coverage, that matters.
The Wegovy pill launched in the U.S. in January 2026 and has since been prescribed more than 5 million times. It has quickly carved out space in a crowded obesity drug market.
Sales Growth
Sales of the pill reached around $500 million in the second quarter of 2026, up from roughly $350 million in the first quarter. That is a solid jump in just three months.
The pill is now available in the U.S., the U.K., and the United Arab Emirates. Novo Nordisk executives have said they hope the pill can help the company win back ground in the obesity drug market.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new trial.
Results from the study are expected to help determine which lower dose works best and could inform future prescribing guidelines or product decisions.
The trial details were posted Tuesday in a U.S. government clinical trials database.
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