The first batches of the Wegovy weight-loss pill have arrived in the UAE after government approval.
The first batches of the Wegovy weight-loss pill have landed in the UAE after clearing government approval, making the country the first outside the United States to offer the oral version of the drug.
The National reported that the initial shipments arrived on Monday and will be available soon. Wegovy was already prescribed in the UAE as an injection. Now it comes as a once-daily tablet. The drug is made by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.
The Emirates Drug Establishment cleared the pill earlier this week. The approval covers two uses: weight management and the reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke, in adults with obesity or overweight who also have established cardiovascular disease.
Regulators based the decision on studies showing the drug works alongside healthy lifestyle changes. In trials, the highest 25mg dose achieved about 13.6 percent weight loss over 64 weeks.
“Approving the oral formulation of Wegovy reaffirms the establishment’s commitment to promoting the pharmaceutical ecosystem and reinforcing a proactive approach to addressing obesity and overweight challenges,” said Dr Fatima, an official at the establishment, as quoted by The National.
The pill is the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for weight management. Unlike injectable forms of semaglutide, the daily tablet does not require cold storage. That makes it easier to store and transport.
Wegovy Weight-Loss Pill Pricing and Convenience for UAE Patients
The cost of the Wegovy pill has not been announced. The market expects it to be priced similarly to the Foundayo oral pill, which went into circulation in Dubai in April and was approved in Abu Dhabi last month. Foundayo prices start from Dh773 for the 0.8mg dose and rise to Dh1,599 for the strongest 17.2mg dose.
Novo Nordisk has framed the tablet as a more convenient option for patients who prefer not to inject. “Semaglutide has a well-established safety profile and is widely trusted within the medical community,” Novo Nordisk Gulf general manager Venkat Kalyan said.
The company sees the UAE as the start of a wider rollout. Emil Kongshoj Larsen, Novo Nordisk’s executive vice president of international operations, said future launches will depend on patient demand, whether local clinicians are equipped to prescribe the drug, and whether healthcare and telehealth systems can sustain long-term obesity treatment. He said the UAE has shown strong momentum across all three areas and that the company plans to bring the pill to more select countries in the coming months.
The launch comes as obesity remains a pressing health issue in the country. Roughly 28 percent of adults in the UAE live with obesity, and the pill is positioned as a tool to tackle the problem at scale.
