TGA clears weight loss tablets for use in Australia
A daily Wegovy tablet has been cleared for use in Australia, with the weight loss tablet expected to hit shelves before Christmas.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved the use of daily Wegovy tablets in Australia, marking the first GLP-1 weight loss medication to receive approval in oral form. The TGA is set to review packaging and production processes to ensure compliance with quality standards before the product's release. This approval follows the drug's previous approval in the United States and Europe, where demand has surged since its market launch.
Users will require a prescription from a healthcare professional, and the approval extends to individuals with obesity and those requiring cardiovascular risk reduction. While the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) currently subsidizes weight loss drugs for those with type 2 diabetes, a price guide for Australia has not been established.
In the United States, the pill is generally less expensive than its injected counterpart, despite containing a higher dosage of semaglutide, as one 25-milligram tablet provides effects comparable to a 2.4-milligram injection. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, has prioritized Australia as a market for Wegovy, which saw three million prescriptions in the first five months of availability in the US this year.
Rival Eli Lilly, the developer of Mounjaro, holds an oral weight loss drug, Orforglipron, awaiting approval from the TGA.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
