A NEW weight loss pill from the makers of Mounjaro will be available from today.
The UK is the first to launch the once-a-day pill, called orforglipron and sold under the brand name Foundayo, after regulators approved it two weeks ago.
A new weight loss pill from the makers of Mounjaro will be available from today Credit: Getty
The UK is the first to launch the once-a-day pill, called orforglipron and sold under the brand name Foundayo, after regulators approved it two weeks ago Credit: Supplied
It is currently available only via private prescription but drugs company Eli Lilly said it is in talks with NHS watchdog Nice about rolling it out on the health service.
Those with an obese or overweight BMI and with a health condition can request an assessment from online and high-street pharmacies, meaning some 20million people may be eligible for the new pill.
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It will cost around £64 for the first month of the lowest dose (0.8mg), with the highest dose (17.2mg) priced at £169.
Patients can expect to lose roughly 12 per cent of their body weight over 72 weeks, clinical trials show — less than the 20 per cent weight loss seen with Mounjaro.
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But the advantage of Foundayo is its convenience — there are no restrictions on the time of day it should be taken, nor does it need to be taken with food or drink.
Eli Lilly’s Northern Europe boss Khalil Asmar said: “We believe this convenience will make it easier for the patient to stay on their treatment.
“And if you stay on your treatment longer, you’re more likely to see the results that you’re expecting.”
Rival pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk launched its Wegovy pill in June.
It needs to be taken in the morning, half an hour before food.
Dr David Gwynne, medical director of Boots Online Doctor, said the Wegovy pill now accounts for 47 per cent of the prescriptions issued to new patients accessing its service each week.
