Wegovy, injectable medicine for obesity, arrives in Brazilian pharmacies in the second half of 2024

The medicine Wegovywhich has as its active ingredient semaglutide and is indicated to treat obesity and overweight, will begin to be sold in Brazilian pharmacies in the second half of this year, according to a statement released this Thursday, 25th, by the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, manufacturer of the product.

Wegovy has the same active ingredient as Ozempicapproved for the treatment of diabetes but which, due to its weight loss effect, has been prescribed by doctors also for obesity in a off label (when it is indicated for an indication different from that for which the medicine was approved).

Wegovy was approved by National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) in January 2023, it went through the pricing process at the Medicines Market Regulation Chamber (CMED) in the middle of last year and was expected to reach the market in 2023. In July, however, the pharmaceutical company stated that the medicine would be available only this year, without detailing which month.

Novo Nordisk did not explain why the delay in making the drug available, but, in 2023, a company representative stated that the product would be launched only when the pharmaceutical company could guarantee that patients would have access to treatment without interruptions. In the United States, where Wegovy is already sold, there is a shortage of the product.

The pharmaceutical company did not disclose the price at which Wegovy should reach pharmacies, but CMED has already defined its maximum price: in higher doses, it could reach R$2,484, depending on the Tax on the Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS) of each State. In São Paulo, for example, this version can cost up to R$2,383.43.

But patients will be able to find lower prices at points of sale, in addition to any discounts offered by patient support programs. It is worth remembering that the price also varies according to the presentation of the medicine, which will be sold in versions of 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg. The medication, administered via subcutaneous injection, is generally prescribed to be used once a week.

The remedy is indicated for patients with an initial body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (obesity) or greater than or equal to 27 kg/m2 (overweight) when accompanied by at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as diabetes or hypertension.

Semaglutide acts as if it were GLP-1, a hormone that signals the feeling of satiety to the brain. It also reduces the speed of gastric emptying. In clinical studies, a weekly dosage of 2.4 mg of semaglutide led to an average weight loss of 15.2%, compared to 2.6% in the group of patients who did not take the medication./COLLABORATE WITH GIOVANNA CASTRO