UK Introduces New Oral Weight-Management Treatment
Eli Lilly has introduced its new oral treatment Foundayo in the UK for weight management and type 2 diabetes, making Britain the first European country where the medicine is available.
The treatment, known by its generic name orforglipron, can currently be obtained through private prescriptions after receiving approval from the UK medicines regulator on August 10.
Foundayo is the second GLP-1-based oral treatment to become available in the UK, following Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill.
Foundayo Available Through Private Providers
Patients in the UK can currently access Foundayo through private healthcare providers.
However, the treatment is not yet available through the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). Before it can be considered for wider NHS use in England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) must complete its assessment of the medicine.
Eli Lilly said it is working with NICE as the review process continues.
A NICE spokesperson said the organisation had requested additional information following its initial committee meeting. No date has yet been announced for the next review.
Novo Nordisk has also not yet submitted evidence for its oral Wegovy treatment, according to NICE.
Expected Price in the UK
Eli Lilly has indicated that Foundayo is expected to cost around £100 to £120 per month through private providers.
That would put it below the company’s Mounjaro injection, which is priced at approximately £330 for a month’s supply in the UK.
Private providers currently charge around £74 to £129 per month for initial low doses of the Wegovy pill, with prices increasing as patients move to higher doses.
Availability in Other Markets
In the United States, self-pay prices for oral Wegovy and Foundayo start at around $149 per month, with costs potentially increasing to approximately $299 and $349 for higher doses.
A new US Medicare pilot programme also provides selected patients with access to oral treatments at a reported cost of $50 per month.
Foundayo is still under regulatory review in the European Union. Novo Nordisk’s oral Wegovy has received a positive recommendation from the European Medicines Agency, while a final decision from the European Commission is still pending.
Patients should consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any prescription weight-management or diabetes treatment.
