What is Wegovy and what does it treat? Weight-loss jab wins UK approval

An anti-obesity jab has been approved for use in preventing heart attacks and strokes in the UK.

Wegovy is the first weight-loss medication to be approved in the UK to be used as a treatment as a preventative method for "established cardiovascular disease".

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given the green light for medical professionals to prescribe the medication to help overweight or obese people cut their risk of heart problems.

They have ruled it can be prescribed to people who have a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or above and who have already been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. This describes conditions relating to the heart or blood vessels.

A previous study of the drug (the brand name of which is semaglutide) comprised 17,604 adults over the age of 45 from 41 countries. It found that after 20 weeks of taking it, 62 per cent of patients had lost more than five per cent of their bodyweight, while only 10 per cent in the placebo group had.

However, the risk reduction of heart attacks, stroke or heart failure was similar in patients who had lost more than five per cent of their bodyweight and in those who lost less weight.

Novo Nordisk, the company behind Wegovy, is worth around $428 billion (£332bn), making it more valuable than the annual output of the entire Danish economy.

Here is a look at the company’s top products: Wegovy and Ozempic.

What is Wegovy?

Wegovy is an injectable medicine used for adults with obesity or a (body mass index) BMI of 27 or more.

Nick Finer, honorary clinical professor at the National Centre for Cardiovascular Prevention and Outcomes at University College London, said: “The efficacy of semaglutide is a true game-changer for the medical treatment of obesity, a chronic disease that shortens life through its many complications.”

Some users have reportedly hailed the drug as a miracle given their dramatic weight loss.

Semaglutide has received various high-profile celebrity endorsements, with figures such as X (formerly known as Twitter) boss Elon Musk claiming to have used the drug. An X user asked Mr Musk in October 2022 how he remained “fit, ripped, and healthy”, to which he replied “fasting” and “Wegovy”.

Who can use Wegovy?

Those with a BMI of 30 or more, or those with a BMI of 27 or more who also have a weight-related medical problem, can use the drug.

Patients with at least one weight-related condition (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol). are required to inject themselves weekly. They have the injections as part of a thorough weight-management programme and increased exercise.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said that weight-related conditions that will make obese people eligible include “type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia (unbalanced or unhealthy cholesterol levels), obstructive sleep apnoea and heart disease”.

A study found that the weight of people who were given the drug fell by 12 per cent on average after 68 weeks.

How does Wegovy work?

Wegovy suppresses appetite by mimicking the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone normally released after eating. It slows gastric emptying, increases feelings of fullness, and reduces hunger, leading to decreased caloric intake and weight loss.

Wegovy was approved for NHS use in September 2023 following research that indicated users could lose more than 10 per cent of their bodyweight. However, experts have warned that “skinny jabs” are no substitute for exercising and maintaining a healthy diet.

Does Wegovy have any side effects?

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said side effects should be minimal when the drug is used correctly. Symptoms include mild nausea, diarrhoea and headaches, but they were found to be “mild to moderate in severity and subsided with time”.

Analysis discovered that several patients who took Wegovy and Ozempic suffered severe gastroparesis, better known as stomach paralysis. Two patients who had taken the type 2 diabetes medication Ozempic said their “stomachs are paralysed”, CNN reported in July 2023.

Wegovy was one of several weight-loss drugs being investigated for “a possible link to thoughts of suicide and self-harm among users”, the BBC reported in July 2023. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) investigated Wegovy, Saxenda, Ozempic and other similar drugs after three cases were identified in Iceland.

But in April 2024, the EMA said it had found no evidence linking GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy to suicidal thoughts or behaviours. This conclusion aligned with a review by the US Food and Drug Administration in January 2024, which also did not find a causal link between these weight loss and diabetes medications and suicidal ideation.

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is another brand name for semaglutide, but it differs from Wegovy in its usage and dosage.

Ozempic has been primarily approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It helps control blood sugar levels and can reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease.