Vivani Medical is developing a small implant designed to deliver semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy, aiming to help patients maintain weight loss by improving treatment adherence. The implant, still in early stages, would be placed under the skin and release medication steadily over six months or potentially a year, reducing the need for frequent injections or pills. Vivani's CEO, Adam Mendelsohn, emphasized that the device is intended for maintenance therapy after patients reach a stable dose with conventional GLP-1 treatments.

This implant offers a unique mechanism using a specialized membrane with microscopic channels to control the drug’s release without mechanical parts. This steady dosing could mitigate side effects like nausea, common with current semaglutide therapies. The insertion process is similar to contraceptive implants, taking just a few minutes and performed under local anesthesia. Patients could have the implant removed or replaced with a different dose as needed. Vivani recently secured an important agreement with Novo Nordisk to evaluate the implant, along with regulatory approval in Australia to begin human clinical trials.

Despite the potential advantages, some doctors remain cautious, citing the need for clinical data to prove the implant’s safety, efficacy, and tolerability compared to existing treatments. Concerns include patient comfort with an implant device, the procedure's feasibility in telehealth models, and whether healthcare providers would adopt the implant given its procedural requirements. The cost and insurer coverage remain uncertain, complicating predictions for market impact in the growing GLP-1 obesity treatment space, projected to exceed $100 billion by the 2030s.

Vivani plans to proceed with human trials starting mid-2026, testing safety and pharmacokinetics in overweight or obese adults. Subsequent studies will explore dosing and weight loss results with hopes the implant may become a convenient long-term option for sustaining weight loss. Experts recognize its potential as an additional tool for personalized obesity care but stress that evidence from clinical research will be critical before the implant can enter mainstream use.