UNITED KINGDOM —Novo Nordisk has introduced its Wegovy weight-loss injections to the UK market, marking its entry into the second major European market in just over a month.
Despite facing challenges in meeting the surging demand for this breakthrough weight-loss treatment, Novo is forging ahead with its rollout.
Wegovy, a weekly injection, has demonstrated its effectiveness in helping patients reduce body weight by approximately 15% when combined with exercise and lifestyle adjustments. It has already gained a foothold in the United States, Norway, Denmark, and, as of late July, Germany.
However, Novo has struggled to keep up with the overwhelming demand for Wegovy in the United States, which has effectively delayed its European launch in most regions.
Nevertheless, the soaring demand for Wegovy, along with the success of Novo’s highly effective diabetes drug, Ozempic, has propelled the company’s shares and earnings to record highs. It recently dethroned LVMH as Europe’s most valuable listed company.
The escalating demand for Wegovy in Europe was highlighted when supplies quickly ran short in Germany just a month after its European debut, underscoring the challenge faced by the pharmaceutical company.
Novo Nordisk is actively collaborating with regulators and providers to ensure access to Wegovy for individuals dealing with obesity.
While the company did not disclose the cost, leading online health and beauty retailers, Boots and Superdrug, have announced prices starting at £195 (US$ 245) for a monthly supply of Wegovy. UK-based online pharmacy chain Simple plans to charge between £199 (US$250) and £299 (US$375).
Notably, these prices include online consultations with clinicians, prescription, and dispensing costs. In the United States, the drug can cost as much as US$1,350 per month.
In March, the UK’s drug cost-effectiveness watchdog, NICE, recommended the use of Wegovy in adults with at least one weight-related condition and a body mass index of 35, but primarily within the National Health Service’s (NHS) specialist weight management program.
NICE also advised that Wegovy should be used for a maximum of two years.
Novo Nordisk has announced that Wegovy will be available through the NHS’ weight management program as well as privately through registered healthcare professionals. The implications of this dual availability remain to be seen.
Despite its potential, two leading private insurers, Aviva and AXA Health, have stated that they will not cover the cost of Wegovy, citing that private medical insurance is designed for acute conditions.
Benenden Health, which provides insurance to over 850,000 people in Britain, also will not cover Wegovy.
Novo Nordisk has not specified the quantity of supply it will allocate to the UK. The company is actively engaging with European governments and insurers to secure reimbursement for Wegovy, positioning it as more than just a lifestyle drug.
Approximately 50,000 eligible patients in England may receive Wegovy prescriptions through NHS specialist weight management services, according to an NHS spokesperson.
Britain has one of the highest rates of obesity in Europe, with nearly one in three adults classified as obese, according to a 2019 OECD report.
Obesity-related illnesses account for 8.4% of health expenditure in the UK, and it reduces the country’s GDP by 3.4% when combined with lower labor market output.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay emphasized that obesity is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer in Britain and costs the NHS approximately £6.5 billion (US$8.2 billion) annually.
For all the latest healthcare industry news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, and YouTube Channel, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook.
