Injection for obesity Wegovy arrives at pharmacies in 2024 and will cost up to R$ 2,484

Health

Previous forecast said that the injection for obesity would be sold from the second half of 2023

Sao Paulo-SP) – Wegovy, the first weekly injection to treat obesity approved by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), should only reach pharmacies in the country in 2024, according to the manufacturer Novo Nordisk.

In larger doses, the medicine will cost up to R$ 2,484 in states where the Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS) is 21%, such as Piauí. In São Paulo, the drug should reach R$ 2,383, since the state rate is 18%.

In the smallest doses, from 0.25 mg, the price is between R$ 1,220 and R$ 1,290 in the Brazilian states.

Prices were set by the Medicines Market Regulation Chamber (CMED). According to Novo Nordisk, however, “possibly not the prices found by patients at the points of sale when the products hit the market”.

The previous forecast indicated that the medicine would be available in the second half of 2023, but the pharmaceutical company fears that the same shortage problem faced in the United States will happen in Brazil.

In the North American country, the high demand caused interruption of the treatment of patients. Considered a chronic disease, obesity needs continuous treatment.

Ahead of the launch of Wegovy in Germany, scheduled for later this month, Novo Nordisk asked physicians in the country to limit prescriptions to patients with medical needs.

The drug for obesity is based on semaglutide, the same compound used in Ozempic, an injectable drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes that became popular after testimonials on social networks indicated weight loss in a short time.

In Brazil, the high demand for Ozempic caused problems in its supply. The drugmaker announced in June that all doses would have “intermittent availability” through the end of 2023 due to higher-than-expected demand.

In questioning Folha’s report in February about the relationship between drug shortages and its use for weight loss, the company replied that “it is not possible to trace the purpose of use of the product by the patient”. He emphasized, however, that he does not encourage the use for the treatment of conditions that are not listed in the package leaflet.

Semaglutide, the drug’s active ingredient, is an analogue of the hormone GLP-1 and, in this way, manages to reduce the amount of sugar in the blood and informs the user’s brain that he is already satisfied and not hungry.

Clinical studies submitted to Anvisa for authorization of Wegovy showed an average reduction of 17.4% in body weight in patients after about 24 months of continuous use. About 4,500 people of different nationalities participated in the work.

Ozempic, in turn, promoted an average loss of 15% in patients with diabetes after 18 months of use.

The medications have different purposes, but both are indicated for adults over 18 years old. Despite the same active principle, only Wegovy has approval to be used against obesity and overweight in the country.

*With information from Folha de S.Paulo

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