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New data on weight loss drugs that could compete with Novo Nordisk's Wegovy are raising expectations there will soon be more options, and possibly lower prices, in an estimated $100 billion marketplace, doctors and pharmaceutical executives say. Drugmakers are ratcheting up their research and aiming for new formulations that can be taken as pills, options to deliver higher weight loss or drugs that reduce fat while maintaining muscle. "It has really been an explosion of innovation," said Dr. Robert Gabbay, chief science officer at the American Diabetes Association (ADA), which receives funding from both Novo and Eli Lilly and Co and just concluded its annual meeting in San Diego, California. "If there are multiple (treatments) in the market, that will lead to some level of competition and greater access."

Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk said on Tuesday (Aug 8) a large study had shown the highly effective obesity treatment also had a clear cardiovascular benefit, boosting the Danish company's hopes of moving beyond its image as a lifestyle drug. The increasingly popular Wegovy has transformed the weight-loss market since its U.S. launch in June 2021, capturing the attention of patients, investors and celebrities worldwide. Novo's news lifted shares in Europe's second-most valuable listed company after LVMH by more than 17 per cent to record highs. They have now surged almost 165 per cent over the past two years. The results of the late-stage trial may help persuade insurers in the U.S. and cost-conscious health authorities in Europe to cover the cost of Wegovy, which is $1,300 a month in the United States, for a wider range of patients. U.S. law classifies weight-loss treatments as lifestyle drugs and bars the Medicare health plan for older Americans from covering them and experts said the new data could lead the U.S. government to reassess that.

Amid the rapid rise in semaglutide usage, a study has suggested a potential risk of a rare eye condition associated with the weight loss drug. Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), is available under the brand name Ozempic (by Novo Nordisk) in a lower-dose form for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and as Wegovy (also by Novo Nordisk) in a higher-dose form for weight management in patients with high body mass indexes. Anecdotal evidence has indicated that semaglutide might be linked to nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). To investigate this potential connection, researchers in the United States analysed data over a six-year period from nearly 17,000 neuro-ophthalmology patients at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, all of whom had no prior history of NAION.

A diabetes medicine, Mounjaro, has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to treat overweight patients. The weight loss medication originally developed for Type 2 diabetes is now accessible to individuals aged 18 and over who are dealing with obesity and weight-related health issues. The active ingredient, tirzepatide, works by making the patient feel fuller and reducing food cravings. The injection helps individuals lose 20 per cent of their body weight, and are advised to follow a reduced-calorie diet and increase physical activity simultaneously. Although it is not authorised to use on the NHS as yet but future approvals can be predicted.

People are advised to be mindful of medications that may cause sun reactions, and to watch out for dodgy hay fever treatments and fake weight loss pens. For those traveling abroad, the MHRA advises considering the suitability of medicines available to reduce the risk of contracting tropical diseases. Dr Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said: "The summer is an exciting time for many of us, as we take time off to travel and enjoy the warmer weather. "But it is important to understand what this time of year means for our medicines and medical devices, and take the precautions necessary to use products safely and protect ourselves." Watch out for dodgy hay fever treatments Millions of Britons suffer from hay fever symptoms in the summer. The MHRA advises consulting a healthcare professional to find the best treatment for your symptoms. People are also warned to be cautious of medicines advertised as hay fever treatments but not approved for use in the UK, such as Kenalog. This is a prescription-only steroid injection licensed as a medicine for other conditions, but not for the treatment of hay fever.

Eli Lilly's weight-loss medicine Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, will be available in the UK within weeks as a four-dose pre-filled injection pen. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the drug to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and for weight management in obese patients. Branded as Mounjaro KwikPen, the injection is to be used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, the regulator said. "The public health importance of safe and effective treatments to help manage diabetes and obesity, which can have a significant impact on people's health, is clear. "This approval enables access to the approved Mounjaro pen in a more convenient presentation of a month's treatment, of one dose per week," said Julian Beach, MHRA Interim Executive Director, Healthcare Quality and Access.

Novo Nordisk, the Danish drug manufacturer, has launched Wegovy, a weight-loss drug, in the UK market. This semaglutide injection will be available through specialist NHS weight management services for those who meet the National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) criteria or privately through registered healthcare professionals. Novo Nordisk allocated a portion of the available supply of Wegovy for NHS services, while confirming the existing shortage of semaglutide and projecting continued constraints in the foreseeable future. The drug can be obtained through the NHS and is additionally accessible for private purchase at pharmacies in the UK. The pricing for a one-month supply varies, ranging from £73.25 to £175.80, depending on the dosage. "We are committed to expanding treatment options for individuals with obesity and share the Government's goal of improving access to obesity care in areas of high unmet medical need," the company said in a statement. "We are closely monitoring Wegovy demand and collaborating with regulators and providers to ensure access to and continuity of treatment for people living with obesity."

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved a new indication of semaglutide (Wegovy), authorising its use to reduce the risk of serious heart problems and strokes in adults who are obese or overweight. Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, was previously approved for use in the treatment of obesity and weight management, to be used alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support. The latest approval establishes it as the first weight loss drug to be prescribed to prevent cardiovascular events, such as cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack and non-fatal stroke, in people with established cardiovascular disease and a Body Mass Index (BMI) higher or equal to 27 kg/m2. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy, received this authorisation on 23 July following compelling evidence from a recent post-approval clinical study involving over 17,600 participants. The study demonstrated that Wegovy, administered at a dose of 2.4 mg once weekly via subcutaneous injection for up to five years, significantly lowers the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) by 20 per cent compared to a placebo.

Germany's Boehringer Ingelheim said on Thursday (Aug 17) it would conduct three late-stage studies for its obesity drug candidate after it showed up to 19 per cent weight loss after 46 weeks in a mid-stage trial. The private company plans to start enrollments for the trial of the drug, survodutide, which it co-invented with Danish biotech company Zealand Pharma, before the end of the year. The trials will evaluate the drug's safety and efficacy, Boehringer said, and added that it would provide further details on the studies before initiation. Boehringer and Zealand are among global drugmakers racing to grab a share of the potential $100 billion market for obesity treatments within a decade. Survodutide works by mimicking a gut hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which suppresses appetite, as well as imitating another gut hormone called glucagon that helps break down fat.