GLP-1 weight-loss drugs: The World Health Organization has, for the first time, recommended a class of blockbuster weight-loss medicines, known as GLP-1 agonists, for treating diabetes and obesity worldwide and called for low-cost generic versions so patients in developing countries can access them.
In its latest update to the Model List of Essential Medicines, WHO named semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, and tirzepatide, used in Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, as essential therapies for adults. The UN agency stated that expanding access to these “life-saving” injectables will require strong generic competition to drive down prices.
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GLP-1 agonists suppress appetite and have surged in demand after studies showed they can produce substantial weight loss. But their price tags, often above $1,000 a month in the United States, have raised alarms about inequitable access, particularly in countries where the health need is greatest.
Obesity and overweight-related illnesses caused more than 3.7 million deaths in 2021, according to WHO, more than malaria, tuberculosis and HIV combined. One in eight people globally is now obese, and over 800 million are living with diabetes.
Patents on semaglutide are due to expire in some countries, including Canada, India and China, potentially opening the door to a wave of generic production. WHO’s move is expected to accelerate efforts by governments and global health agencies to secure lower prices and local manufacturing.
Originally developed for diabetes, GLP-1 drugs can cause side effects such as nausea, but research is probing wider benefits.
