Germans prepared to pay for weight-loss drug Wegovy

Bangkok Post

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk will launch weight-loss drug Wegovy in Germany at the end of July, with doctors saying hundreds of patients are prepared to pay for prescriptions. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00 Novo Nordisk's weight loss drug Rigo-V will be available in Germany from the end of July

00:06 and people seem willing to pay.

00:08 Several doctors told Reuters they have received interest from hundreds of patients and expect

00:14 high demand for the prescriptions, even though health insurance plans, which cover around

00:19 90% of Germans, won't foot the bill.

00:22 The weekly injection will have an initial cost of around $190 a month, but it will cost

00:28 around $330 in the long term.

00:32 Used alongside a structured diet and exercise regime, Rigo-V has been shown to help obese

00:37 people lose about 15% of their body weight, and doctors say they will primarily consider

00:42 it for patients who are at the early stages of obesity with a BMI of around 30 or slightly

00:48 higher.

00:49 But clinical trial data shows people regain weight after they stop taking it.

00:55 Other drugs are already available in Germany.

00:58 Irina Ernst-Berger took the diabetes drug Ozempic, also made by Novo, to help her lose

01:03 weight.

01:04 Three months after finishing her course, she's managed to keep the weight off, alongside

01:09 maintaining a healthy diet.

01:11 For me, at least, I didn't really change my eating habits, and I think that was the main

01:17 issue.

01:18 And now, with the last phase, with the support of my doctor, Professor Horbach, I have finally

01:24 succeeded.

01:26 Rigo-V's launch in Germany adds a third European market.

01:30 Novo's shares have rallied nearly 120% since Rigo-V debuted in June 2021.

01:37 That makes it Europe's second most valuable listed company, after luxury brand LVMH.

01:43 The Danish drugmaker is also ramping up production to meet soaring demand in the US, where the

01:48 drug sells for as much as $1,350 a month.

01:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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