Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced a pilot initiative called the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) program, designed to accelerate drug approvals for treatments aligned with national health priorities. This includes select GLP-1 agonist medications for obesity. The program’s goal is to reduce review timelines from about 10⁠–12 months to as little as one or two months.  

FDA approval for the first oral GLP-1 for obesity is expected this month. GLP-1 drugs, which have typically been administered via subcutaneous injection, have evolved with new oral products for obesity — such as Eli Lilly’s orforglipron or Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide — in the drug pipeline. If approved, these oral, once-daily formulations may remove barriers to therapy since they don’t require needle use or special treatment, such as refrigeration. Initial studies of these drugs show oral GLP-1s result in clinically meaningful weight loss and offer an alternative formulation to the injectables while offering patient convenience. 

In the latest episode of the “Pharmacy Friends” podcast, “Beyond the needle: Why oral GLP-1s matter now,” join guest Carole Kerzic, RPh, drug information pharmacist principal, and host Maryam Tabatabai, PharmD, associate vice president of clinical information, for the latest on the FDA’s expedited approval process for select oral GLP-1s — a breakthrough that could transform obesity care.  

“At Prime, our approach is evidence-based,” Tabatabai said. “When you think about chronic weight management, that treatment really needs to be personalized and individualized, holistic — incorporating lifestyle modification, food and nutrition and exercise. … Ultimately, real-world adoption (of oral GLP-1s) will really hinge on personal preference, adherence … long-term safety and access.”  

Key insights from this episode include:  

• What the FDA’s CNPV program is and how it applies for select oral GLP-1 medications for obesity treatment. 
• How oral GLP-1s could expand access, impact adherence and reshape the weight-loss market.  
• Why the latest developments matter to payers, clinicians, patients and policymakers.   

“Pharmacy Friends” is a podcast dedicated to bringing industry experts to the same table to talk about what is happening in pharmacy today, what is coming and, most importantly, what it means to you. Listen to the full episode “Pharmacy Friends” podcast, “Beyond the needle: Why oral GLP-1s matter now,” at PrimeTherapeutics.com/Listen.