(NewsNation) — A small device placed under the skin could one day replace weight-loss injections.

Novo Nordisk, the maker of Wegovy and Ozempic, is working with California-based biotech company Vivani Medical to test a tiny implant that slowly releases semaglutide — the same medication used in the injections — over several months. The partnership was announced this week.

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The matchstick-sized implant is inserted just beneath the skin, typically in the upper arm, during a brief office procedure similar to the placement of a birth control implant. The device then gradually releases medication into the body.

Vivani says the version currently being tested would need to be replaced every six months, though the company hopes to eventually extend that timeline to once a year.

The implant is not expected to be available for at least several years. It must first complete clinical trials and receive regulatory approval before it can be prescribed.

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