New higher-dose semaglutide injection launched following UK regulatory approval
Novo Nordisk has launched a new 7.2mg single-dose pen for its weight-loss drug semaglutide (Wegovy), following approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Previously, those who needed a 7.2mg dose of semaglutide had to be given three 2.4mg injections – taken together once a week. The new pen enables this to be done in a single injection.
Sebnem Avsar Tuna, general manager at Novo Nordisk UK, said: ‘The availability of the Wegovy 7.2mg single-dose device means healthcare professionals now have an additional higher maintenance dose in one single pen, to prescribe for eligible adults who might need to take the next step in their treatment journey.’
According to Novo Nordisk, the 7.2mg dose is approved as a maintenance dose for weight management, if required, for adults with obesity.
The launch of the single-dose pen comes as new research from University College London supports use of semaglutide for patients who had not responded well to bariatric surgery.
Published in Nature Medicine, the BARI-STEP trial, looked at use of semaglutide at a dose of 2.4mg in these patients.
Seventy patients were recruited for the 68-week trial and were randomly assigned to receive either semaglutide or a placebo injection. Both groups also received lifestyle advice and support with a reduced-calorie diet.
By the end of the study, 85% of participants taking semaglutide lost at least 10% of their body weight, compared with 7% in the placebo group. Moreover, 47% in the intervention group lost at least 20% of their body weight, compared with just 3% in the placebo group.
Patients receiving semaglutide also showed improvements in blood sugar levels, cholesterol and other measures linked to heart and metabolic health. Participants in this group also reported better quality of life.
Researchers found that most of the weight loss came from body fat rather than muscle. The side-effects seen in the study were the same as those seen in previous semaglutide studies and included nausea and reduced appetite.
Dr Makaronidis said: ‘These findings strengthen the case for using semaglutide in people who do not respond well to bariatric surgery, offering an alternative to repeat operations. They also suggest that combining surgery with weight-loss medicines is an important approach to treating severe obesity.’
‘As next steps, we need larger and longer studies involving more diverse groups of patients. We would also like to investigate whether semaglutide could help patients before surgery as well as afterwards.’
A version of this story was first published by Pulse’s sister title The Pharmacist
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