Rybelsus oral semaglutide launch (2019)
The FDA approved Rybelsus, the first oral GLP-1 drug, for type 2 diabetes. Patients had to fast 30 minutes before and after each dose and take it on an empty stomach, which limited convenience.
Rybelsus sold far below Novo's injectable Ozempic, whose once-weekly dosing dominated.
It proved an oral GLP-1 could work, setting the stage for small-molecule versions without the fasting burden.
Orforglipron targets the same mechanism but removes the fasting requirement and shows stronger results in indirect comparisons, attacking the exact weakness that held Rybelsus back.
