Stock Markets June 18, 2026 05:47 AM

Oral Wegovy Hits One-Third Share of Prescriptions by May, Bank of America Says

Oral formulation grows rapidly since January launch as GLP-1 prescription growth remains steady in low-30% range year-over-year

By Jordan Park
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LLY CI MCK NVO

A Bank of America report shows the oral version of Wegovy made up about 33% of total Wegovy prescriptions in May, reaching 159,000 weekly total prescriptions in the week ending June 5, 2026. The oral formulation has seen fast uptake since its early January rollout and now accounts for 40% of new Wegovy prescriptions in the latest measured week. Wider GLP-1 prescription growth has stayed in a roughly 30-35% year-over-year band since July 2025. Meanwhile, Cigna will remove coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs in its employee plan starting July 1, 2026, and a 2026 employer survey shows coverage gaps for obesity indications.

Oral Wegovy Hits One-Third Share of Prescriptions by May, Bank of America Says
LLY CI MCK NVO
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Key Points

  • Oral Wegovy made up about 33% of total Wegovy prescriptions in May and reached 159,000 weekly total prescriptions in the week ending June 5, 2026.
  • Weekly new prescriptions for oral Wegovy were 40% of total new Wegovy prescriptions in the week ending June 5, 2026; the oral mix has stabilized in the low-30% range after early rapid growth.
  • The broader GLP-1 class grew roughly 30-35% year-over-year for weekly total prescriptions since July 2025; Cigna will end employee-plan coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs effective July 1, 2026, and employer coverage for obesity indications remains limited.

Bank of America data released Thursday indicates the oral form of Wegovy accounted for roughly 33% of all Wegovy prescriptions during May. The report shows the oral formulation reached 159,000 weekly total prescriptions in the week ending June 5, 2026.

Introduced in early January, the oral Wegovy product recorded rapid adoption early on. By the week ending June 5, 2026, weekly new prescriptions for the oral version represented 40% of total new Wegovy prescriptions, according to the report. After that initial acceleration, the mix of oral prescriptions has settled in the low-30% range in recent weeks.

The wider glucagon-like peptide-1 - or GLP-1 - class continued to expand at a steady pace. Bank of America reports weekly total prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs rose approximately 33% year-over-year in May. That compares with 32% growth in April and 31% in March. The report notes that the GLP-1 weekly total prescription growth rate has generally remained between 30% and 35% year-over-year since July 2025.

Looking specifically at new prescriptions, weekly new prescription growth for GLP-1 agents was 28% year-over-year in the week ending June 5, 2026. Monthly sales metrics mentioned in the report showed GLP-1 monthly sales increased 35% year-over-year in April, versus 38% in March and 36% in February.

On the coverage front, Cigna has announced it will stop covering GLP-1 weight-loss medications, including Wegovy and Zepbound, within its employee health plan effective July 1, 2026. Cigna cited increased availability of these therapies and evolving treatment options as its rationale for the change.

A separate industry survey, the Pharmaceutical Strategies Group 2026 report, found that 94% of employers provide coverage for GLP-1 drugs when used to treat type 2 diabetes, but only 34% extend coverage for obesity treatment. Among employers surveyed, 14% indicated they were exiting coverage for GLP-1 therapies and 31% said they would not adopt coverage at any price.

In administrative details tied to Medicare processing, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services prior authorization form for the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program lists McKesson’s CoverMyMeds as the electronic vendor.


This report compiles prescription trends, payer policy changes, and employer coverage data without projecting clinical or market outcomes beyond the stated figures.

Risks

  • Changes in payer coverage - exemplified by Cigna ending coverage for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs in its employee plan effective July 1, 2026 - could alter access and adoption patterns for obesity treatments, affecting employers, health plans, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
  • Limited employer adoption for obesity coverage - the Pharmaceutical Strategies Group 2026 report found only 34% of employers cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity, with 14% exiting coverage and 31% unwilling to adopt coverage at any price - creating uncertainty in demand within employer-sponsored insurance markets.
  • Volatility in prescription growth rates - while GLP-1 weekly total prescription growth has remained in a 30-35% year-over-year range since July 2025, monthly and weekly new prescription growth figures vary month-to-month, which may influence supply planning and commercial strategies in the pharmaceutical and distribution sectors.

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