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Britons paying privately for obesity drugs are increasingly choosing Eli Lilly's Mounjaro over Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, online pharmacies say, in a sign the US drugmaker is gaining ground on its European rival. Mounjaro is appealing to people because of its greater efficacy, six online pharmacies and two patients told Reuters, showing Novo's first-mover advantage is being challenged in the UK even though some pharmacies sell starter doses for the weekly injection for up to 40 per cent more than Wegovy. "Mounjaro is now vastly outstripping Wegovy," said Chemist4U CEO James O'Loan, who said for the past three to four months, Mounjaro has won about 70 per cent of its sales. Chemist4U and another online seller, Simple Online Pharmacy, estimate that as many as 500,000 people in the UK currently take either Mounjaro or Wegovy via prescriptions from private online pharmacies. Mounjaro, unlike Wegovy, is not available through the National Health Service (NHS) though it likely will be next year. Wegovy is only available through the NHS at specialist obesity clinics and in limited circumstances. There is no public data on prescription numbers but the government said last year it had capacity to treat about 35,000 patients.

Weight loss drug Wegovy has transformed the obesity market and pharmaceutical companies with existing treatments are hoping the resulting demand will boost demand for their older, less effective but cheaper, drugs. A weekly injection of Wegovy, which was launched in the U.S. in June 2021, leads to an average weight loss of around 15%, alongside changes to diet and exercise. Its impact has captured the attention of patients, investors and even celebrities. But supply issues for Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk means the Danish drugmaker has struggled to meet surging U.S. demand, delaying a launch in most of Europe. Insurers and some national governments have also baulked at its cost, while a minority of patients do not respond to it. Vivus and Currax Pharmaceuticals, U.S.-based developers whose treatments have been on the U.S. market for around a decade, hope to benefit from the attention and supply shortage. But scientists and investors say that lower efficacy plus side effects could continue to hold the treatments back.

British pharmacies and slimming clinics are reducing prices for weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Mounjaro in a competitive bid to win patients. Both Novo Nordisk's Wegovy (semaglutide) and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) injection drugs are cleared for weight loss in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Wegovy was launched in the UK market in September, with Mounjaro following in February. Initially designed for treating type 2 diabetes, the drugs have been found to also induce weight loss by suppressing appetite and decelerating digestion. As reported by Reuters, Simple Online Pharmacy has further reduced the price of starter doses of Mounjaro to £149 for a one-month supply. In February, the price was cut to £159 ($198) from £179. Additionally, the pharmacy on Monday discounted the higher Mounjaro strengths that patients take later.

Medical professionals often prescribe semaglutide to patients who have type 2 diabetes. Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, it has also shown to be an incredibly efficient weight loss aid for patients. As the active ingredient in well-known brand-name drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, semaglutide is currently on everybody's lips. But what exactly is semaglutide? Does it really work for weight loss? We'll find an answer for you in this article, and explain the main benefits of using semaglutide for weight loss. What Is Semaglutide? A number of diabetic and weight loss medications, including Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, have semaglutide as their active ingredient. This substance is a synthetic form of the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), that occurs naturally. Developed by the company Novo Nordisk, semaglutide was first approved by the FDA in 2017 as an injection for the treatment of adult type 2 diabetes (as part of the approval procedure for Ozempic). In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration approved a novel semaglutide form known as Rybelsus. Rybelsus was the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in the United States.

Kent and Medway prescribe the highest number of semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepeptide - drugs that are commonly used for treating type 2 diabetes, weight loss, or both - in the UK, according to recent research by Click Pharmacy. Called GLP-1 agonists, these drugs mimic the effects of the GLP-1 hormone, which is released by the body after eating. This hormone slows digestion, stimulates insulin release, and inhibits glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar, making GLP-1 agonists effective treatments for diabetes and weight management. The online pharmacy's research reveals that Kent and Medway prescribed the most of these drugs in the month of June 2024, with 6,326 prescriptions. Other NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) with high prescription rates included: Black Country and West Birmingham (5,019) Hampshire, Southampton, and Isle of Wight (4,960) Birmingham and Solihull (4,775) North Central London (4,528) North East London (3,557) North West London (3,498) Cambridgeshire and Peterborough (2,973) Coventry and Warwickshire (2,912) Norfolk and Waveny (2,575) Brighton and Hove topped the list for prescribing Wegovy, a weight-loss drug containing semaglutide, with 35 prescriptions made out in June alone.