Wegovy

Wegovy is available as pre-filled pens containing a solution for injection. It is injected once a week under the skin in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm.

To reduce the risk of symptoms affecting the gut, the weekly dose starts at 0.25 mg and increases gradually over 16 weeks to 2.4 mg.

Patients can administer the medicine themselves. They can also change the injection site and the day of the weekly injection. For the latter, the new day should be at least 3 days after the previous day for the injection.

The medicine can only be obtained with a prescription. For more information about using Wegovy, see the package leaflet or contact your healthcare provider.

The active substance in Wegovy, semaglutide, is a ‘GLP-1 receptor agonist’. It acts in the same way as GLP-1 (a natural hormone in the body) and, among other things, appears to regulate appetite by increasing a person’s feelings of fullness, while reducing their food intake, hunger and cravings.

Studies have shown that Wegovy is effective in helping people lose weight, with a significant proportion of them achieving at least a 5% weight reduction.

Three of the studies involved people who had tried unsuccessfully to lose weight in the past and had a BMI of ≥30 kg/m2 or a BMI of ≥27 kg/m2 plus a weight related health problem.

In the first of these, involving 1,961 people, people treated with Wegovy were able to lose on average 15% of their body weight after 68 weeks compared with a 2% loss of weight in people who had placebo (a dummy treatment). In addition, 84% of people in the Wegovy group were able to lose 5% of their weight compared with 31% of people in the placebo group.

In the second study, involving 611 people, those treated with Wegovy lost on average 16% of their body weight after 68 weeks compared with a 6% loss of weight in people who had placebo. Around 85% of people in the Wegovy group lost at least 5% of their weight compared with 48% of people in the placebo group. All participants in this study also received counselling to help them lose weight.

The third study, involving 902 people, looked at how the effects of Wegovy were maintained over the first 20 weeks. In this study, all participants had Wegovy for 20 weeks, after which some were stopped having Wegovy and were given placebo instead. After 48 more weeks, those who continued on Wegovy lost a further 8% of their body weight while those on placebo regained 7% of theirs, indicating that people need to continue taking Wegovy in order not to regain weight.

A fourth study involved 1,210 people with type 2 diabetes with a BMI of ≥27 kg/m2 and who had also tried unsuccessfully to lose weight in the past. After 68 weeks, those treated with Wegovy were able on average to lose 10% of their weight compared with a 3% loss in people who had placebo. In addition, 67% of people in the Wegovy group were able to lose at least 5% of their weight compared with 30% of people in the placebo group.

The most common side effects with Wegovy (which may affect more than 1 in 10 people) are headache, nausea (feeling sick), vomiting, diarrhoea, constipations and abdominal (belly) pain.

For the full list of side effects and restrictions of Wegovy, see the package leaflet.

Obesity can lead to severe health problems and many obese people experience difficulty trying to lose weight. Wegovy is effective at reducing weight, and the side effects are manageable.

The European Medicines Agency decided that Wegovy’s benefits are greater than its risks and it can be authorised for use in the EU.

Recommendations and precautions to be followed by healthcare professionals and patients for the safe and effective use of Wegovy have been included in the summary of product characteristics and the package leaflet.

As for all medicines, data on the use of Wegovy are continuously monitored. Suspected side effects reported with Wegovy are carefully evaluated and any necessary action taken to protect patients.

Wegovy received a marketing authorisation valid throughout the EU on 06 January 2022.