The UK's medicines regulator has authorized the weight-loss pill Foundayo, becoming the first European country to license the drug.
Key facts
- •The UK is the first European regulator to approve Eli Lilly's oral GLP-1 drug, Foundayo.
- •Foundayo is indicated for both weight management and type 2 diabetes.
- •A decision on National Health Service coverage for the drug is scheduled for November 18.
- •Novo Nordisk's competing pill, Wegovy, launched in the UK and US earlier this year.
- •The UK remains the only country with a bilateral agreement to pay higher prices for medicines to the US.
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has approved Eli Lilly’s weight-loss pill, Foundayo, for weight management and type 2 diabetes. This decision makes the UK the first regulator in Europe to authorize the drug. Foundayo is the company's first oral version of a GLP-1 medication, following the success of its injectable drug, Mounjaro.
Market Competition and Availability
Foundayo will initially be available in the UK private market. A decision regarding coverage by the National Health Service is expected on November 18, to be determined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The drug enters a market already seeing the arrival of Wegovy, an oral GLP-1 pill from competitor Novo Nordisk.
International Pricing Pressures
The US administration has been pressuring EU countries to increase payments for medicines to offset revenue losses from lower drug prices in the United States. The UK is currently the only country to have entered a bilateral deal with the US to pay more for medicines. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk plans to launch its pill in Germany at a price of its own choosing, resisting US pressure to raise prices in Europe.
Timeline
- MondayThe UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approved Foundayo.
- Last weekNovo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar commented on the company's efforts to capture market share.
- Nov. 18The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is expected to decide on NHS coverage for Foundayo.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Politico Europe.
