Wegovy, a new weight-loss medicine from Novo Nordisk, is introduced in the UK
Wegovy, an injection for weight loss, was introduced by Novo Nordisk on Monday in the United Kingdom, increasing the drug's distribution in Europe despite continued supply issues.
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The weekly injection would initially be made accessible "through a controlled and limited launch," according to the Danish pharmaceutical giant, with only a limited number of patients qualified to get it through the nation's National Health Service.
BMI of 35 to be eligible for treatment
According to guidelines provided by the National Institute for Care and Excellence, patients must be enrolled in the NHS's weight management programme, have at least one condition connected to weight, and have a body mass index of 35 in order to be eligible for therapy.
A "registered healthcare professional," according to a statement from Novo Nordisk, will also be able to get the medication privately.
The medicine's exact price agreed upon by NHS England was not disclosed by Novo Nordisk, although the company did note that NICE, a U.K. drug cost-effectiveness monitor, had deemed it to be a "cost-effective use of NHS resources."
The price in the private sector will be "determined by licensed prescribers," it was said.
$170 to 300 euros Price Range
Wegovy costs $1,350 a month on the list in the United States, compared to $170 to 300 euros ($190-$330) per month in Europe.
According to Reuters, the British insurance company Aviva, which offers private health insurance to roughly 1.1 million Britons, announced on Monday that Wegovy wasn't going to be covered under its policy.
Wegovy's entry into the U.K. comes little over a month after the drug's introduction in Germany, which at the time was the drug's third European market after Denmark and Norway.
Shares of the firm have reached record highs due to the drug's soaring demand as well as a number of scientific studies that show its broader health advantages. It momentarily replaced French luxury goods giant LVMH to take the title of the most valuable firm in Europe on Friday.
The drug's launch is still severely hampered by supply issues, with CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen stating last month at a Reuters Newsmakers event that it may be "some years" before the company can fully satisfy all customers.
In the United Kingdom, Novo Nordisk announced that "a proportion" of the supply would be set aside specifically for NHS treatment and that the company would collaborate with medical professionals to make sure that "patients with the highest unmet medical need" be given priority.
We are actively observing Wegovy demand and collaborating with clinicians and authorities to make sure patients with obesity can obtain treatment and continue it, it was said.
Additionally, the corporation only has a little presence in other markets. While in Germany it urged doctors to "prescribe responsibly," restricting prescriptions to people with medical needs, it limited the U.S. supply of beginning dosages in May to maintain continuity for current patients.
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