Wegovy weight-loss frenzy

Blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy is the brand name of semaglutide,which mimics the action of a hormone that makes people feel full, so they eat less

Maintenance dose: 2.4 milligrams

MONTH 1
(weeks 1-4)
0.25mg
weekly

MONTH 2
(weeks 5-8)
0.5mg
weekly

MONTH 3
(weeks 9-12)
1.0mg
weekly

MONTH 4
(weeks 13-16)
1.7mg
weekly

MONTH 5
(weeks 17
onwards)

Full dose: 2.4mg weekly
Dosage: Weekly injection gradually stepped up from starter dose of 0.25 milligrams

2010: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Victoza.
Active ingredient, liraglutide – GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1), which lowers blood sugar – has unexpected side effect of causing weight loss

Jun 2021: Novo Nordisk gets FDA approval to market semaglutide for obesity with weekly injections at higher doses. Wegovy goes on sale at $1,350 for one month’s supply

Dec 2022: Wegovy goes on sale in Denmark at 2,370.60 kroner ($357) for maintenance dose

2023: Wegovy goes on sale in Norway, Germany and UK at 2,775.30 Norwegian kroner ($278), €301.91 ($325.97) and £299 ($377) respectively for maintenance dose 

2014: FDA approves Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda (liraglutide) for obesity. Patients lose 5% weight with once-a-day injections

2017: Novo Nordisk develops type 2 diabetes treatment with longer-lasting GLP-1 drug, semaglutide
Marketed as Ozempic, patients inject themselves once per week to achieve 15% weight loss

Sep 5: Novo Nordisk becomes Europe’s most valuable firm with stock market valuation of $428bn



© GRAPHIC NEWS
Source: Bloomberg, FDA, Novo Nordisk, Reuters
Picture: Getty Images