Rival fat jab WON'T increase in price, makers pledge – as Mounjaro set to double in costs
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MAKERS of the fat jab Wegovy say they will not increase the price of the drug when the cost of rival Mounjaro doubles next month.
A price war now looms as Danish firm Novo Nordisk said it is committed to keeping its weight loss injection affordable.
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Wegovy is one of the two most popular weight loss injections in the UK (stock image)
Credit: Reuters
Slimmers suffered a hammer blow on Thursday when Mounjaro maker Eli Lilly & Co revealed it would ramp up its pharmacy charges in September.
Rates first revealed by The Sun show the UK wholesale price for a month's supply of the popular 5mg dose of tirzepatide will double from £92 to £180.
A prescription with private pharmacy mark-ups typically costs buyers £150 to £200 and could now surge to more than £300.
The minimum 2.5mg dose will cost pharmacies £133 up from £92, with a 10mg dose rising from £107 to £255 and the maximum 15mg from £122 to £330.
Patients and pharmacists were shocked by the news and warned it could drive users to the black market.
Price war could shake up market
Wegovy is thought to be the second most popular weight loss injection used in the UK.
It could now see a boom in users as its price will become more competitive after Mounjaro's rise.
Studies suggest the jab, known as semaglutide and the same as Ozempic, is not as strong as Mounjaro but is still super-effective.
Wegovy currently costs between £100 and £200 per month from private online pharmacies.
A Novo Nordisk spokesperson told The Sun: 'We currently have no plans of changing our offering in the UK.
'Our focus is on supporting patients, and we are committed to ensuring that our medicines are not only innovative but also accessible and affordable for those who need them most.
'Our mission is to help create a healthier world by addressing some of the most pressing threats to public health – including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.'
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