European Congress on Obesity 2026 (ECO2026) | News | Updates | 2026 | iPharmaCenter

Novo Nordisk’s Oral Wegovy Shows 21.6% Weight Loss in Early Responders in OASIS 4 Trial

Novo Nordisk has reported new clinical data showing that its investigational oral version of Wegovy (semaglutide 25 mg) achieved significant weight loss and functional improvements in adults with obesity.

In the OASIS 4 trial, nearly 29% of participants were classified as early responders, defined as achieving at least 10% weight loss by week 16. This group recorded an average weight reduction of 13.2% at four months, which increased to 21.6% by week 64. Participants who did not meet early response criteria still experienced meaningful benefits, with average weight loss reaching 11.5% by the end of the study.

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The study also highlighted improvements in physical function.

Among participants with poor baseline mobility, 77.3% of those treated with oral Wegovy achieved clinically meaningful gains in movement and activity levels, compared to 42.9% in the placebo group.

These improvements included better ability to bend, stand comfortably, and remain active.

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Findings from the ORION indirect comparison showed that oral semaglutide led to greater average weight loss, while orforglipron was linked to significantly higher rates of treatment discontinuation due to gastrointestinal side effects.

Results from the OPTIC patient preference study further indicated strong patient favorability, with 84% of respondents preferring a treatment profile similar to oral Wegovy over orforglipron.

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These results reinforce earlier findings from the OASIS 4 trial, where adults with obesity or overweight with related complications achieved an average weight loss of 17% with oral Wegovy, compared to 2.7% in the placebo arm.

The safety profile was consistent with the established GLP-1 receptor agonist class.

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SURMOUNT-MAINTAIN and ATTAIN-MAINTAIN: Foundayo and Zepbound Support Long-Term Weight Management

Eli Lilly has released detailed results from two late-stage clinical trials showing that patients with obesity were able to sustain weight loss after transitioning from higher-dose injectable incretin therapies to either its oral candidate Foundayo or a lower dose of Zepbound (tirzepatide).

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ATTAIN-MAINTAIN study

In the ATTAIN-MAINTAIN study, patients who switched from the maximum tolerated dose of Wegovy (semaglutide) to Foundayo largely preserved their earlier weight reduction. After one year, participants maintained nearly all of their prior weight loss, with an average regain of just 0.9 kg.

A similar trend was observed among patients transitioning from Zepbound to Foundayo in the same study. These individuals retained most of their initial weight loss, with an average regain of about 5.0 kg over 12 months.

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SURMOUNT-MAINTAIN trial

Results from the SURMOUNT-MAINTAIN trial further evaluated dose adjustments within Zepbound therapy. Patients who continued on the maximum tolerated dose for an additional year maintained their full weight loss achieved during the initial 60-week treatment period. In contrast, those who reduced their dose to 5 mg still preserved most of their weight reduction, with an average regain of 5.6 kg.

Both treatment strategies in SURMOUNT-MAINTAIN met the primary and key secondary endpoints, demonstrating that continued treatment, either at full or reduced dosing, was significantly more effective than placebo in maintaining weight loss through 112 weeks.