How 'game-changing' Wegovy weight-loss pill works as UK approves it for patients

The UK has just confirmed it approved a brand-new weight loss drug that’ll be available to the public within weeks, marking the nation’s first GLP-1 prescription pill. But does it work?

The first pill version of the heavily popularized weight-loss jabs will soon be entering the UK healthcare system after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved it for use.

Made by Novo Nordisk, the creator or Ozempic, the Wegovy Pill is a daily medication that contains the same active ingredient as the weekly injection, with the company’s press release stating that users can expect to lose 14 per cent of their body weight over the course of 64 weeks.

Similar to the jabs, this semaglutide is only eligible to those who meet a strict body criterion, usually one that includes a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, as well as having a related health condition like diabetes, high cholesterol or blood pressure.

Wegovy is coming in a pill form to the UK (Getty Stock Images)

Professor Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine at the School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health at the University of Glasgow, said: "The approval of the once-daily oral form of Wegovy (semaglutide) is welcome news for people living with obesity, particularly those who would prefer not to use injections. Expanding the range of effective treatments is important in helping people sustainably reduce caloric intakes within an increasingly obesogenic environment. With obesity rates in the UK now at very high levels, and associated with substantial multimorbidity, additional treatment options for sustained weight loss are greatly needed.”

So, how does it work?

Just like the jabs, it uses semaglutide as its active ingredient, which works by mimicking the naturally derived glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), which is released after eating. Semaglutide goes on to change the parts of the brain that regulate appetite, which in turn helps people feel fuller for longer, reduce hunger and decrease food cravings.

This is why people start to lose weight, as they eat less.

The starting dose for the tablet is 1.5mg, before increasing doses of 4mg, 9mg, and 25mg, per the UK Government’s press release.

Here's how it works (UNILAD/Novo Nordisk)

However, it warns that patients ‘need to be on each dose level for at least a month before going up’, but if you’re a person who is receiving private treatment of 2.4mg Wegovy injections once a week, you ‘can move straight to 25mg tablets once per day’.

As for how you take it – it should be taken whole and on an empty stomach along with a sip of water.

This means you shouldn’t eat for at least eight hours to ensure your stomach is free of food.

Then, you must steer clear of foods or drinks for 30 minutes after.

The Wegovy tablet, made by Novo Nordisk, should be taken whole on an empty stomach with a sip of water after a fasting period of at least eight hours.

While the pill is already available in the US, the fact that it’s now in the UK means big things, says Novo Nordisk bosses.

“This is a landmark approval, making the UK the first country in Europe to approve Wegovy® pill,” said Emil Kongshøj Larsen, Executive Vice President, International Operations, Novo Nordisk. “Today, around 15 million people in the UK are living with obesity, yet only a small proportion of them have access to treatment and we hope this approval supports increasing access to obesity care in the UK. With the introduction of this option for weight management, we have an opportunity to support many more eligible patients. Most importantly, this gives patients another option — one that may fit their lives and help them reach their health goals.”

However, some users have reported experiencing side effects like stomach pain, sickness, and bowel changes. So, be careful.