Eli Lilly Brings Foundayo Oral Weight-Loss Drug to UK at One-Third Mounjaro Price
Synopsis
Foundayo will be available privately for an expected £100-£120 a month, significantly below Lilly’s £330 monthly Mounjaro injection, as the company works with NICE on a potential NHS rollout.
Eli Lilly has launched its oral weight-management and type 2 diabetes treatment Foundayo in the UK, making Britain the first European market where the drug is available.
The pill, known chemically as orforglipron will initially be available through private prescriptions.
The UK's medicines regulator authorised the treatment on August 10, making it the second oral GLP-1 drug approved in the country after Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill.
The launch gives Lilly an opportunity to compete in the growing oral weight-loss market without relying solely on injectable treatments such as its Mounjaro drug.
Foundayo Could Offer a Cheaper Alternative
Lilly said Foundayo is expected to cost around £100 to £120 for a month's supply in the UK. That would make it considerably cheaper than Mounjaro, which costs about £330 for a month's supply.
The price difference could make oral treatment more attractive to patients who are looking for alternatives to injections, although private prescription costs can vary depending on the provider.
Foundayo belongs to the GLP-1 class of medicines which work by helping regulate blood sugar and appetite. The growing demand for these treatments has turned obesity care into one of the pharmaceutical industry's biggest markets.
Lilly is also seeking a route into Britain's publicly funded healthcare system. The company said it is working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on a potential rollout through the National Health Service.
Lilly Faces Growing Competition in Europe
The UK launch comes as pharmaceutical companies race to bring oral versions of GLP-1 medicines to patients.
Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill has already received a positive recommendation from the European Medicines Agency. A final decision from the European Commission is still pending.
Foundayo, meanwhile, remains under review in the European Union.
For Lilly, getting an oral treatment into the UK ahead of a wider European rollout could provide an important early foothold. Tablets may also help expand access to GLP-1 treatments among people who are reluctant to use injections.
The bigger opportunity is the potential scale of the obesity market. If oral GLP-1 treatments prove convenient, effective and affordable, they could broaden the pool of patients seeking medical weight management.
Source: Reuters
Vishal is an experienced Editor at Inspirepreneur Magazine with key interests in artificial intelligence, eCommerce, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and startup sector. Prior to joining Inspirepreneur, he was a Content Writer cum Correspondent at Siliconindia Magazine, where he worked on Company Profiles, Cover Stories, Executive Profiles, Feature Articles and Thought Leadership content.
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