Novo trae su píldora para la obesidad que vale 236 euros

Wegovy oral, a weight loss pill from Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, is now available in Spanish pharmacies. The price of the 30-pill pack is 236.2 euros, lower than the injectable version which has been on the market for two years. The oral version does not require cold chain storage like its injectable counterpart, making it more accessible to patients with doubts about the subcutaneous formula.

Patients are expected to take the pill once a day, about an hour before breakfast on an empty stomach. Clinical trials showed an average weight loss of 16.6%, with 20% of patients losing more than 20%. Spain is the fifth market for Wegovy oral after the US, UK, Germany, and UAE. The drug is not covered by Spain's National Health System (SNS), but Novo Nordisk is in talks with the Spanish Ministry of Health for public funding.

The company has been working to reduce the price of the injectable version to ensure access for patients with this disease, which generates nearly 200 morbidities and a significant impact on Spain's healthcare system. Nearly 55% of adult Spaniards are overweight, with 35%-40% classified as obese. The European Medicines Agency predicts the disease's prevalence could reach 37% by 2035.

Novo Nordisk's general director emphasized the company's commitment to researching weight control drugs, which now make up nearly half of the Danish pharmaceutical company's annual I+D budget. Since 2024, three times more clinical trials on this field have been initiated in Spain.