A game-changing weight-loss pill could be approved for use in Britain within days, the Daily Mail understands. The daily tablet, called the Wegovy Pill, is expected to get the greenlight from health officials, according to sources close to the drug's developer, the Danish firm Novo Nordisk.
Approval and Availability
The drug is a tablet version of the highly effective once-weekly Wegovy injection. The decision, set to be made by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), means the treatment would become a licensed medicine in the UK, opening the door for millions more Britons to pay for the weight-loss medication. It does not mean the pill would be available immediately on the NHS, however, as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) would need to conduct its own appraisal before considering it for health service use.
Patient Preferences and Pricing
Research suggests that significantly more people are expected to take the Wegovy Pill than existing weight-loss jabs, which also include Mounjaro. Experts say one reason for this is that the tablets will likely be cheaper. In the US, the Wegovy Pill costs around £225 a month while Wegovy injections are roughly £260 a month. However, research shows that many patients are also currently put off weight-loss drugs due to the fact that they have to self-inject. Twice as many Britons say they would take a weight-loss pill than a jab, according to polling conducted by digital healthcare provider Numan. Around one in five patients considering weight-loss medication are put off by a fear of needles.
At least 1.6 million adults in the UK are thought to be using the jabs, also known as GLP-1 injections, with a further 3.3 million considering taking them. Dr Tsolmon Tsogbayar, senior clinical product lead at Numan, said: 'There are many people who have wanted support with their weight for years but have struggled with the idea of injectable treatment, in some cases avoiding healthcare settings involving needles altogether. The arrival of oral GLP-1 medication is hugely significant because it has the potential to make evidence-based obesity treatment accessible to a much wider group of patients who previously felt excluded from the current options available.'
Efficacy and Mechanism
The Wegovy Pill contains the same active ingredient, called semaglutide, as the injection. Studies show that obese patients on the tablets lose around 14 per cent of their body weight, meaning it is only slightly less effective than the jabs, which tend to trigger around a 15 per cent reduction. According to Novo Nordisk, the pill is taken once a day and must be swallowed on an empty stomach with a small amount of water. Semaglutide works by reducing the body's appetite by mimicking a hormone in the gut which is released after eating. This, in turn, reduces hunger, and makes patients feel fuller for longer.
US Approval and Market Impact
The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US last December, and more than 170,000 patients now take it every day. Novo Nordisk previously said the pills provide a 'convenient' alternative to the jab. Speaking after it was approved in the US, the company's chief executive Mike Doustdar said: 'Patients will have a convenient, once-daily pill that can help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection.' The MHRA and Novo Nordisk declined to comment when approached.
Future Developments
After the approval of the Wegovy Pill, attention will turn to a rival pill developed by Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro. The drug, named Orforglipron - marketed under the brand name Foundayo - has also delivered promising results in clinical trials. Studies have shown that patients taking the highest 36mg dose lost an average of 11.2 per cent of their body weight over 72 weeks. The drug was approved in the US in April, and a decision is set to be made for its use in Britain at a later date, making more pill options available to UK adults.
