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One of the most anticipated medicines by the market and the medical community in recent months will finally arrive in the country. The Danish pharmaceutical company New Nordisk announced this Thursday, 25th, the launch of Wegovy for the treatment of obesity in the second half of 2024.
There is still no exact date for its arrival at drugstores, but the expectation is that the medication, whose active ingredient is semaglutide 2.4 mg, will soon be available to patients who will be able to pay for the therapy after a medical prescription.
Wegovy has the same substance and method of application as Ozempicbut this is approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The new product received approval from National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) in January 2023 to control obesity and overweight with weight-related comorbidity.
The drug is used through an injection pen once a week. Clinical studies revealed significant and consistent weight loss, as well as greater protection against diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Wegovy is already on sale in the United States and in European countries. High demand led to a shortage of stock in some regions.
In the wake of the Ozempic phenomenon, it is expected that demand for the drug in Brazil will also be significant. However, as the manufacturers themselves emphasize, use should only be done under medical advice and supervision.
On the news radar, another medication for overweight, tirzepatide (Mounjaro), from the Eli Lilly laboratory, also approved by Anvisa, awaits official launch in the country.
