People who switched from an injectable GLP-1 weight loss medication to the Wegovy pill lost an average of 4.1% of their body weight over 3 months, according to the OCTANE study presented at the 2026 Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Milan, Italy.
The study included 194 adults with overweight or obesity who switched from injectable semaglutide (Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Zepbound) to oral semaglutide between January 5 and February 7, 2026. Participants had an average baseline weight of 221.6 pounds and a body mass index of 34.5 kg/m2. They self-reported their weight at the start of treatment and again at 3 months.
After 3 months on the oral medication, about 2 in 5 participants had lost at least 5% of their body weight. The proportion of participants with obesity decreased by 21.6 percentage points, from 87.1% at baseline to 65.5% after 3 months. Most participants reported treatment improvements, with 69% saying their clothes fit better and 51% reporting they ate healthier.
Betul Hatipoglu, MD, Medical Director of the Diabetes and Metabolic Center at University Hospitals in Cleveland, noted that "these findings are encouraging because they suggest that some people can continue losing weight after switching to oral treatment." She cautioned that the results represent "promising early evidence supporting another treatment option, rather than proof that switching improves results."
The results have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Mir Ali, MD, medical director of the MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center in Fountain Valley, California, explained that oral medication absorbs through the gastrointestinal tract, so less reaches the bloodstream compared to the injectable form. The pill must be taken on an empty stomach in the morning, followed by a 30-minute wait before eating. Both formulations can cause gastrointestinal side effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
Hatipoglu said the decision to switch should account for how well your current treatment works, side effects, comfort with injections, daily routine, cost, and insurance coverage, and should be made with a prescribing clinician.