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Novo Nordisk has announced the launch of Wegovy pill (semaglutide tablets) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the first country outside the United States to make the pill available to people living with obesity. The launch is an important step in Novo Nordisk’s plans to expand access to innovative obesity treatments and broaden treatment options for people living with obesity around the world, said the company.
Emil Kongshøj Larsen, executive vice president, international operations at Novo Nordisk said, “This launch represents an important milestone in our ambition to expand access to innovative obesity care globally. As we look to future launches, our approach will be guided by local patient demand, the readiness of healthcare professionals, and the strength of healthcare and telehealth infrastructure that can support long-term obesity care."
"The UAE has demonstrated strong momentum across all of these areas, and we look forward to bringing Wegovy pill to additional select countries in the coming months.”
The Wegovy pill is the first oral glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist therapy approved for weight management. The approval is based on the OASIS 4 trial programme.
In the OASIS 4 trial, oral semaglutide 25 mg taken once daily demonstrated ~17% mean weight loss when treatment was adhered to in adult participants with obesity or overweight with one or more comorbidities. The weight loss achieved with the Wegovy pill is similar to that of injectable Wegovy 2.4 mg.
Besides, 1 in 3 people experienced 20% or greater weight loss in the OASIS 4 trial. The established safety and tolerability profile of semaglutide was reaffirmed with Wegovy pill in the OASIS 4 trial, which was comparable to previous trials with semaglutide for weight management.
Wegovy pill is also the only weight-loss pill approved by both the FDA and the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including heart attack and stroke, in adults with established cardiovascular disease and obesity or overweight, said the company.
Worldwide, 1 billion people live with obesity, and in the UAE, 28% of adults are living with obesity, with almost 7.5 million people projected to be living with obesity or overweight by 2035.
Novo Nordisk has previously announced that it will launch Wegovy pill in select markets in the second half of 2026.
The once-weekly Wegovy injection (2.4 mg and 7.2 mg) is approved by the FDA, EMA and other regulatory authorities worldwide. It is approved as once-daily pill (semaglutide 25 mg) by the FDA and EDE. The pill is currently pending final marketing approval from the EMA and other regulatory authorities.
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