Obesity treatment drug ‘WeGobee’ will begin domestic sales on the 15th. Wegobi, developed by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, became famous overseas as it was administered by celebrities such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk. However, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is urging caution, saying, “As side effects such as headache and vomiting have been reported, it should be used with caution only in obese patients and according to a doctor’s prescription.”
● “It will cost around 700,000 won for 4 weeks of medication.”
WeGobi is composed of an ingredient (semaglutide) similar to the hormone (GLP-1) that promotes insulin secretion after a meal and causes a feeling of fullness. This ingredient stimulates the hypothalamus of the brain, inhibits the nerves that cause hunger, and suppresses appetite by causing a feeling of fullness.
The principle is the same as ‘Saxenda’, the most commonly prescribed obesity treatment in Korea, but it is evaluated to be more effective. As a result of clinical trials, Wigobi was found to reduce body weight by an average of 14.9% when administered for 68 weeks. In the case of Saxenda, the weight loss effect is about twice as high compared to the 7.5% weight loss effect after 56 weeks of treatment. Also, unlike Saxenda, which requires daily injections, WiGovi needs to be injected once a week into the arms, abdomen, and thighs.
Because of these advantages, WeGobee gained sensational popularity after its launch in the United States in 2021. In October 2022, CEO Musk became a hot topic when asked about the secret to weight management on his social network service (SNS) and answered, “Fasting and weight loss.” Broadcaster Oprah Winfrey and Hollywood star Kim Kardashian are also known to have used Wegobee, and global sales exceeded 6 trillion won last year. Interest was high in Korea as well, and after receiving approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in April last year, obesity clinics and other companies were inundated with inquiries asking, “When will Wegobi be released?”
The domestic launch price is 372,000 won for 4 doses. However, this is the price supplied to hospitals and pharmacies, and the consumer price is expected to be in the 700,000 won range, which is higher than Saxenda. However, since it is a non-covered item, prices may vary depending on the hospital and pharmacy. There are 5 different doses of Wigobi, from 0.25mg to 2.4mg, and you can take it by gradually increasing the dose every month.
With the launch of Wegobi, the domestic obesity treatment market is expected to be reorganized. Last year, the domestic obesity treatment market was worth about 178 billion won, and Saxenda currently accounts for 37.5%. An official from a foreign global pharmaceutical company said, “I heard that Wigobee rushed to launch ‘Maunjaro’, a GLP-1 type obesity treatment that is called a counterpart to Wigobee, after receiving approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in August of this year.” He added, “We are targeting the market first.” “There is an intention to take control,” he interpreted. Maunjaro showed a 22.5% weight loss effect after the 72nd week of treatment.
● “Drug treatment is not the fundamental prescription.”
Wegobi is known to be effective as a cardiovascular treatment, but side effects such as headache, vomiting, and diarrhea have also been reported. For this reason, a doctor’s prescription is necessary when taking medication.
The scope of prescriptions is also limited. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Wigobi can only be prescribed to adult obese patients with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more and adult obese patients with a BMI of 27 to 30 and at least one comorbidity such as high blood pressure. An official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety also said, “For patients with type 2 diabetes, it must be administered with caution as hypoglycemia or retinopathy may occur.”
Doctors point out that although drug treatment can provide short-term effects, it is not possible to take the medication forever, so it is necessary to improve lifestyle habits as well.
Park Kyeong-hee, a professor of family medicine at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, said, “If you do not change your lifestyle habits, you will have no choice but to return to your original weight after stopping the medication due to the yo-yo phenomenon.” Choi Ho-cheon, a professor of family medicine at Seoul National University Hospital’s Gangnam Center, also advised, “To manage obesity, proper eating habits and a steady increase in activity are essential, and stress management and sufficient sleep are also important,” adding, “Drugs only play a supporting role.”
Jinhan Lee, medical reporter and doctor likeday@donga.com
Reporter Choi Ji-won jwchoi@donga.com
Reporter Park Seong-min min@donga.com
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