New diabetes and weight loss effects will make Wegovy and Ozempic much easier to access, but will not ease supply pressure until next year, pharmacists warn.
The new drug, known as tirzepatide, could significantly reduce the prices some people have to pay in private clinics and online pharmacists for the so-called “miracle” jabs Wigoby and Ozempic.
But any effect will not be realized until next year, and in the meantime, shortages of Wegoby are likely to increase in the coming months after the drug is officially launched in the UK this week.
Dr Leila Hanbeck, chief executive of the Independent Multi-Pharmacy Association, said: I It said the approval of tirzepatide in the UK was a “welcome development”, but supply constraints remained that were preventing patients from accessing Ozempic and Wegoby.
Wegoby was introduced to the UK this week “through a controlled limited launch” by manufacturer Novo Nordisk to fight obesity as shortages of its key ingredient semaglutide continue.
The same ingredient is used in the Ozempic jab, which is prescribed to diabetics, but has soared in popularity that it is now being sold privately in the UK as an anti-obesity treatment ‘off-label’.
Doctors can prescribe a drug “off-label” even if it is not approved for that specific purpose if they are confident of its effectiveness in treating a condition. Online pharmacies have played a leading role in prescribing and selling Ozempic off-label, driving up prices and squeezing supply to diabetics.
Tirzepatide has outperformed Wegovy and Ozempic in preliminary tests and is expected to be in similar demand because it works in much the same way.
It was approved for use in diabetes in the UK on Thursday, and manufacturer Eli Lilly hopes to receive approval for weight loss in the coming months. However, to ensure sufficient supplies, it is not expected to be available at all in the UK until early 2024.
Dr Hanbeck, who represents 4,000 independent pharmacists across the UK, said: I: “The day after the announcement [that Wegovy was available in the UK] Many pharmacy owners ordered online but were met with an “out of stock” message.
“Everything is confusing and it’s very confusing for a lot of patients and for pharmacists.”
She hoped tirzepatide would help overcome difficulties in obtaining drugs and “make the process of obtaining these drugs smoother for patients.”
“When the news broke that Wegovy was coming out, people came and asked their pharmacists for it. Then they go online and they’re told, ‘We don’t have it in stock.’ And I read that other online pharmacists got them. It’s really all over the place,” she said.
“Anything that leads to increased availability of medicines for patients is good news. It’s great to have some good options for patients.”
It is hoped that the new drug will also help lower the prices of Wigovy and Ozempic. Particularly in private clinics, there are anecdotes of people paying between £300 and £400 for a drug that originally cost around £70. .
Dr. Hanbeck said, “Every time a substitute becomes available, it has an impact on overall availability, and competition is good.”
British health and beauty chain Superdrug said on Thursday that the amount of Wigoby it has received so far is a “small fraction” of what it needs to meet its growing waiting list.
More than 20,000 people had expressed interest in buying Wegoby from Superdrug before Novo Nordisk launched the drug in the UK on Monday, and the waiting list has since grown.
In response to the continued supply restrictions for Wegoby, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson said: “As we expect supply to be limited for some time to come, some of the available supply has been allocated for use only within the NHS to help healthcare workers deploy it.” Nice [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] guidance.
“We will continue to work with health care professionals to help ensure that patients with the most unmet medical needs are prioritized.”
Dr Hannbeck acknowledged that Wegovy was only made available through a “controlled release,” but argued that this had the effect of “raising expectations and preventing people from getting it.”
However, in the long term, the hope is that tirzepatide will free up the supply of both diabetes and weight loss drugs.
Professor Liz Breen, Professor of Health Service Management at the University of Bradford, welcomed the news of the new drug.
“From a patient’s perspective, and from a healthcare provider’s perspective, it’s always good to know that there are strong alternative candidates. This relieves pressure from a single source of supply.
“As supply issues continue to challenge us across the NHS and around the world, having multiple sources of approved products gives patients confidence that they will have access to the products and they will be able to access the products if they need them. You can switch.”
Dr Simon Koch, from Anglia Ruskin University’s medical school, said: I: “The approval of another highly effective treatment for type 2 diabetes is very welcome.
“We are at an exciting time in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity, with other drugs in late-stage clinical trials as well. Shortages of Wigovy and Ozempic have been widely reported; The introduction of other effective medicines to treat these two conditions should improve overall availability in the medium to long term.”
Like semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, it is taken as a once-weekly injection, but instead of targeting one receptor to produce insulin like existing drugs, tirzepatide is the first to target two receptors. Targets the body to stimulate insulin secretion.
The study found that the drug, branded Mounjaro for use in diabetic patients, lowered average blood sugar levels within the normal range in 81 to 97 percent of patients, which was “more statistically significant than any comparable drug.” ,” Nice said. Semaglutide trials showed a success rate of just under 80%.
In one court, New England Medical JournalFifty-one percent of people taking tirzepatide lowered their blood sugar levels to levels seen in people without diabetes, while 20 percent of people taking semaglutide lowered their blood sugar levels.
Trials also showed that Lilly’s tirzepatide could reduce weight by as much as 26 percent, compared to 15 percent expected for Novo Nordisk’s Wegoby.
Another clinical trial to confirm the effectiveness of tirzepatide as a weight loss drug is underway and expected to report next year.
When asked if tirzepatide could avoid the shortages seen with semaglutide, an Eli Lilly spokesperson said:
“However, before launching a new treatment, Lilly must consider many factors, including expected demand and competitive supply, to ensure that it can adequately supply the drug.
“Lilly is developing alternative dosing methods for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) that are expected to improve supply availability, including vials and the patient-friendly multi-dose KwikPen, which is the most sustainable option for GB. It will be.”
“Lily is working closely with the MHRA. [Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency]DHSC [Department of Health and Social Care] And NHS England will ensure access to tirzepatide as soon as possible. ”
