### Wegovy Launched in UK Amidst Soaring Demand and Supply Constraints
Novo Nordisk, the Danish drugmaker, unveiled its weight-loss injection Wegovy in the United Kingdom this week, marking its entry into a second major European market within slightly over a month. The company’s shares and earnings have hit record highs due to the booming demand for Wegovy and its highly effective diabetes drug, Ozempic. Despite this success, the company is grappling with supply issues due to overwhelming demand.
The UK launch will be “controlled and limited”, Novo Nordisk said in a statement. The drug will be available through the National Health Service’s (NHS) specialist weight management scheme and privately. The price for private patients will be between £199 and £299, according to one online pharmacy chain.
The company’s inability to meet the US demand for Wegovy has effectively delayed the launch in most of Europe. The drug, which has been shown to help patients reduce body weight by around 15% when used in conjunction with exercise and lifestyle modifications, is also available in the United States, Norway, Denmark, and Germany.
### Limited Wegovy Supplies and High Demand
Wegovy supplies were reportedly limited in Germany less than a month after its European launch, indicating the challenge that Novo Nordisk faces in meeting its European ambitions. Novo Nordisk didn’t disclose how much of the drug would be made available in the UK.
Novo Nordisk is currently in negotiations with European governments and insurers to secure reimbursement for Wegovy, aiming to position it as more than just a lifestyle drug. “As we expect supply to be constrained for the foreseeable future, a portion of available supply will be allocated for use only within the NHS to allow healthcare professionals to implement NICE guidance,” the company stated.
### Wegovy’s Availability and Costs
In the United Kingdom, Wegovy will be available for private prescription as well as through the NHS’ weight management scheme. However, it was not clear what the implications of the drug being available through private healthcare professionals would be. Two leading private insurers, Aviva and AXA Health, have already stated they will not cover Wegovy.
In the US, the drug sells for up to $1,350 a month. In England, around 50,000 eligible patients could be prescribed Wegovy through NHS specialist weight management services, according to an NHS spokesperson.
Obesity, which affects nearly one in three adults in the UK, is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer in the country and costs the NHS around £6.5 billion annually. Overweight-related illnesses account for 8.4% of health expenditure and, when combined with lower labour market output, reduce UK GDP by 3.4%, according to a 2019 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Original Story at www.reuters.com – 2023-09-04 12:31:17
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