- The MHRA has approved the UK’s first GLP-1 tablet for weight loss and weight management.
- The once-daily semaglutide tablet may be prescribed alongside diet and physical activity for adults with obesity or overweight plus a weight-related condition.
- It is approved for UK use, but it is not currently available through the NHS.
The UK has approved its first GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet for weight loss and weight management.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has authorised a semaglutide tablet under the Wegovy brand.
Until now, GLP-1 weight loss treatment has largely been associated with injections.
This approval means some adults may eventually have an oral option.
The tablet may be prescribed to adults with obesity, defined as a BMI of 30 or above.
It may also be prescribed to adults with a BMI between 27 and 30 if they have at least one weight-related condition.
As with other GLP-1 treatments, it is intended to be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
The starting dose is 1.5mg once a day.
This is then increased step by step to 4mg, 9mg and 25mg, with at least one month at each dose level.
People currently using private 2.4mg weekly semaglutide injections may be able to move directly to 25mg daily tablets.
The way the tablet is taken matters.
It should be swallowed whole on an empty stomach after fasting for at least eight hours.
It should be taken with a sip of water, and no food or drink should be consumed for at least 30 minutes afterwards.
Eating or drinking too soon can reduce absorption.
Semaglutide works by mimicking GLP-1, a hormone released after eating.
It acts on areas of the brain involved in appetite, helping people feel fuller and reducing hunger and cravings.
- Retatrutide may become the most powerful weight loss drug yet
- Retatrutide: How it Works, Evidence, Side Effects
The most common side effects are gastrointestinal, including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting.
Although the tablet has been approved for use in the UK, it is not currently available through the NHS.
NHS access will depend on the usual evaluation process, including assessment by NICE.
So this is an important regulatory step, but not the same as immediate public access.
