A second weight-loss pill has been cleared for use in the UK, following the recent approval of the oral version of Wegovy.
Orforglipron, a once-a-day tablet developed by Eli Lilly, the company behind Mounjaro, has received approval from British health regulators.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave the drug the go-ahead just two months after approving Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill in June.
Clinical trial results published last year showed that patients taking orforglipron lost an average of 12.4 per cent of their body weight after 16 months — equivalent to about 27lb, or nearly two stone.
As with the Wegovy tablet, orforglipron is not yet being offered through the NHS and is expected to be available only via private treatment for now.
The UK is the first country in Europe to approve orforglipron for weight loss.
The decision represents another major step for GLP-1 weight-loss medications, a fast-growing class of drugs now thought to be used by around 2.5million adults across the UK.
Access to orforglipron will be available to patients with a body mass index (BMI) above 30, which is classed as obese, or to those with a BMI above 27 who also have a weight-related health condition.
Orforglipron, a once-daily tablet produced by the same manufacturers as Mounjaro, has been given the green light by British health officials
It will be authorised for use, like other GLP-1s, alongside a reduced-calorie diet.
Type 2 diabetes patients who need assistance controlling their blood sugar levels will also be able to seek a prescription.
According to the MHRA, ‘decisions on NHS use will follow established processes, including an evaluation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)’.
Julian Beach, the MHRA’s executive director of healthcare quality and access, said: ‘Following rigorous assessment of orforglipron’s safety, quality, and effectiveness, we are pleased to be the first regulator in Europe to authorise this tablet for weight management and type 2 diabetes.
‘As with all GLP-1 receptor agonists, this is a prescription-only medication, and the MHRA will keep the safety and effectiveness of orforglipron under close review.’
Orforglipron was approved for use in the US earlier this year.
There is no timeline for when it will be available in Britain yet, however the Wegovy pill was rolled out in early July – less than a month after it was approved by the MHRA.
The MHRA say the pills will only be available from a registered pharmacy and ‘with a prescription from a doctor’.
‘Buying GLP-1 medicines from unregulated sellers carries serious health risks,’ they add.
The treatment can be taken at any time of the day – though only once – with ‘no food or water restrictions’.
The tablets come in a range of doses, beginning at 0.8mg, rising to 17.2mg. Each dosage must be taken for a minimum of one month, according to the MHRA.
Like other GLP-1s, the drug works by mimicking a hormone in the gut that is released by the body after eating.
This, in turn, reduces hunger, and makes patients feel fuller for longer.
The main side effects of taking orforglipron include nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, indigestion and stomach pains.
Anyone who suspects they have suffered a side effect is encouraged to speak to a healthcare professional and make a report on the MHRA’s Yellow Card Scheme.
