Prime Highlights:
- NICE recommended Wegovy for NHS use, making it the first GLP-1 drug cleared to reduce heart attack and stroke risk in obese adults.
- A study of 17,600+ people showed Wegovy cut major cardiovascular risks by 20% against a placebo.
Key Facts:
- Wegovy was originally developed to manage blood sugar in type 2 diabetes patients.
- Eli Lilly raised the UK list price of Mounjaro by up to 170% last year amid Trump-era pricing pressure.
Background:
Britain’s health cost watchdog has cleared Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug Wegovy for use on the National Health Service to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes in overweight or obese adults, making it the first drug of its kind to receive such an endorsement in the country.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, commonly known as NICE, recommended a 2.4-milligram dose of the drug, chemically called semaglutide, for patients who are already living with heart disease. Doctors will now be able to prescribe it alongside standard heart treatments as part of existing cardiovascular care plans.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence used a clinical study that included over 17600 participants to evaluate Wegovy, which they found reduced major heart-related events by 20% when compared to a placebo. The UK regulator had approved the drug for cardiovascular use in 2024, though access at the time was restricted to those who could pay out of pocket.
Around one in four adults in Britain lives with obesity, according to NHS figures, making this a significant policy step.
Wegovy belongs to a class of medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists, originally developed to manage blood sugar in type 2 diabetes patients. Researchers later discovered it also suppresses appetite and promotes a feeling of fullness.
Meanwhile, rival drugmaker Eli Lilly has pushed the UK to raise NHS drug prices and phase out a multi-billion-pound rebate scheme, the Financial Times reported. Lilly raised the list price of its own weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, by up to 170% last year.
