The United Kingdom's medicines regulator has approved the first GLP-1 pill for weight loss, with the drug expected to become available through private prescriptions within weeks. The Wegovy (semaglutide) tablet is taken daily and provides an alternative to weight loss injections.
Approval Details
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced the approval on Thursday. The daily pill is designed for obese adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, as well as for overweight individuals with related conditions such as high blood pressure. Starting doses begin at 1.5mg and increase to 4mg, 9mg, and 25mg, with patients required to stay on each dose level for at least one month before moving up.
Julian Beach, executive director of healthcare quality and access at the MHRA, stated: "Having met the MHRA’s rigorous standards of safety, quality and effectiveness, the semaglutide tablet has been approved in the UK for weight loss and weight management."
Availability and Usage
The drug has not yet been assessed for NHS use but is expected to be available privately within the next few weeks. Patients currently receiving private treatment with a 2.4mg Wegovy injection once weekly can switch directly to 25mg tablets once daily. The tablet should be taken whole on an empty stomach after at least eight hours of fasting, with no food or drink for at least 30 minutes afterward to ensure proper absorption.
Sebnem Avsar Tuna, general manager at Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, said: "This marks an important milestone for obesity care in the UK. For the first time, people living with obesity have access to a GLP-1 treatment in a daily pill, allowing them the choice and flexibility of oral treatment to support their long-term weight management."
Clinical Trial Results
The MHRA based its approval on data from a trial where adults took 25mg per day alongside diet and exercise. After 64 weeks, those who remained on treatment lost an average of 17% of their body weight, compared to 3% for those on a placebo. When including all participants, regardless of treatment adherence, average weight loss was 14%. Common side effects include gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, and vomiting.
Industry and Expert Reactions
James O’Loan, chief executive of Chemist4U, commented: "The launch of oral weight loss medications is set to be game-changing for UK patients. We’ve already seen record demand ahead of the expected launch of a Wegovy pill in the coming months, with over 10,000 people joining our waiting list for a consultation." He noted that most interested individuals had not previously used GLP-1s, suggesting the pill could widen access to millions.
Professor Naveed Sattar from the University of Glasgow added: "The approval of the once-daily oral form of Wegovy (semaglutide) is welcome news for people living with obesity, particularly those who would prefer not to use injections. Expanding the range of effective treatments is important in helping people sustainably reduce caloric intakes within an increasingly obesogenic environment."
Dr Kieran Seyan, chief medical officer at Pharmacy2U, emphasized the importance of using reputable clinical services: "As public interest in medicated weight management grows, it is increasingly important that patients use reputable clinical services rather than unregulated online sources or counterfeit products."
Context
The approval follows an earlier announcement that Wegovy injections would be made available on the NHS for people with cardiovascular disease, after clinical trials showed a 20% reduction in the risk of serious heart problems such as heart attacks and strokes among overweight individuals with heart and circulatory disease.
