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UK pharmacies cut prices for weight-loss drugs Wegovy,

Mounjaro

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Competition for customers raises concerns over patient

aftercare

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Users of the drugs need medical supervision

By Ludwig Burger

May 2 (Reuters) - Online pharmacies and slimming clinics

are cutting prices for Wegovy and Mounjaro in Britain just

months after the weight-loss drugs were launched there, as

initial supply shortages ease.

But growing competition between retailers has raised fears

that some patients who buy the drugs themselves, rather than

relying on the National Health Service (NHS), will miss out on

long-term aftercare if they keep switching providers.

Self-paying patients already account for a big chunk of

revenues from Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and rival

Mounjaro, made by Eli Lilly ( LLY ).

And with analysts estimating the new generation of

weight-loss therapies could soon be worth $100 billion globally

per year, they are increasingly being wooed by drug retailers.

Simple Online Pharmacy in February cut the price of starter

doses of Mounjaro to 159 pounds ($198) for a one-month supply

from 179 pounds. It reduced that price further on Monday, to 149

pounds, and also marked down the higher Mounjaro strengths that

patients take later.

The retailer, which offers online access to doctors who can

prescribe privately, told Reuters demand for the new obesity

drugs was unprecedented and still growing, but that Mounjaro's

launch had "significantly alleviated" pressure on supply chains.

A survey by the company of more than 500 users of Wegovy or

Mounjaro showed that a third had tried to access the medication

via the state-funded NHS but found it was either too difficult

or took too long.

Mayfair Weight Loss Clinic and London Slimming Clinic, which

also provide online prescription and pharmacy services, have cut

prices too of either Mounjaro or Wegovy in recent months.

Darrin Baines, a professor of health economics and founder

of consultancy Intelligent Parameters, said the market was

opening up after initial supply constraints.

"The (drug retail) industry is trying to find out what its

margin is on this ... Pharmacies with an online business are

trying to offer deals to win customers," said Baines.

Tasha, from the southern English town of Battle, said she is

on her second month of Mounjaro injections bought through Simple

Online Pharmacy and its prescription services, but regularly

scans the internet and social media for better deals.

"There's a lot of options out there for the best price," she

told Reuters, speaking on condition that her surname is not

disclosed to protect her privacy. "The cost-of-living crisis

impacts everybody."

She paid 183 pounds for her four-week Mounjaro starter kit

but received a 30-pound refund thanks to Simple's pledge to

match cheaper offers from other registered pharmacies. That

included online medical consultation and prescription services.

"If they stopped the price guarantee, I would definitely

switch to somewhere else," Tasha said.

GROWING COMPETITION

Britain, where obesity rates are among the highest in Europe, is

one of only a few countries where the powerful weight-loss drugs

are available. Wegovy was launched there in September, with

Mounjaro following in February.

Its experience gives a glimpse into how the fight for patients

among private suppliers could develop as availability improves.

Novo said in January it expected Wegovy prices to fall as

volumes increase and competition heats up.

Last month, prescriptions of Lilly's drug in the United States,

where it is called Zepbound and was launched in December,

overtook those for Wegovy, the market leader since it debuted in

June 2021.

The drugmakers have been unable to keep pace with demand for the

weekly injections, which have been shown to reduce weight by as

much as 20%.

They are a new class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists

developed for type 2 diabetes that also reduce food cravings and

cause the stomach to empty more slowly.

Lilly said it hasn't changed its prices. It charges British

distributors 92 pounds excluding value-added tax for a 2.5 mg

four-week starter dose, with prices going up to 122 pounds for

the highest 15 mg strength.

Novo said pricing is at the discretion of providers who are

delivering the drug to patients. The company will release

first-quarter results on Thursday.

It added that treatment decisions need to be made in

consultation with a healthcare professional and require strict

medical supervision.

RISKS OF SWAPPING

Though expressing sympathy for patients seeking value for

money, obesity experts told Reuters that promotions could

encourage people to shop around between suppliers, putting at

risk the consistent supervision the treatments require.

Side-effects can include nausea and diarrhoea, which may

lead to dehydration. Patients should be watched for any sign of

inflammation of the pancreas.

To qualify for access to Wegovy via the NHS, which is still

appraising Mounjaro, patients need a body mass index (BMI) of at

least 35 and one or more weight-related illnesses, with some

exceptions. For now, they must also go through hospital-based

specialist consultations.

The NHS did not respond to a request for comment. The government

said last year it had capacity to treat about 35,000 patients.

Tasha said her family doctor denied her an NHS prescription

even though she meets the criteria because the specialist

hospital services were not available in her area.

Nick Finer, a University College London professor who

focuses on cardiovascular disease, warned that retail marketing

of the new drugs could trivialise their side-effects and the

medical imperative to stay on the therapy long-term.

"The idea that these have become commercial consumer

products like vitamins or protein supplements is quite wrong,"

said Finer, warning patients against changing medical service

provider or even pausing treatment based on price.

Simple Online Pharmacy said it provides a holistic

weight-care service including access to lifestyle support and

clinical care. The Mayfair and London Slimming clinics did not

respond to emails seeking comment.

($1 = 0.8013 pounds)

(Additional reporting by Maggie Fick; Editing by Josephine Mason

and Catherine Evans)