Novo Nordisk’s hotly anticipated weight loss drug has arrived in the U.K. with limited stocks soon to be offered to those most in need.
The Wegovy injection, which contains the drug semaglutide, will be available to people with obesity and at least one other disease who attend specialist National Health Service weight management services. Some supplies will also be available to buy privately, the Danish firm said in a statement.
The drug is only available alongside a plan of diet and exercise in a “controlled and limited launch,” the company said.
Novo Nordisk’s weekly injection has been in high demand since trial data showed people who took the drug lost some 15 percent of their body weight compared with those given a placebo. Social media influencers jumped on the drug, and subsequent studies showing additional heart health benefits have added to its wonder drug reputation.
To date, Novo Nordisk has launched Wegovy in the U.S., Denmark, Norway and Germany. However, in the U.S. supplies have been restricted, with the company prioritizing existing patients over new ones.
The company is expanding its production of the drug, but in the meantime it’s taking a cautious approach to rolling out Wegovy to new markets.
The U.K. launch comes shortly after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence backed the use of app-based weight management services, which could offer Wegovy prescriptions.
