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New research suggests that weight-loss injections, like Wegovy, could soon cost only three dollars to make per month. This represents a significant shift. Until now, these medicines have been extremely expensive. This new price point could help millions of people in lower-income countries access the treatment they need. This hope arrives as important patent laws begin to change in many nations.
Currently, more than one billion people worldwide live with obesity, a number that is growing rapidly, particularly in poorer countries. In these regions, dietary habits are shifting toward high-calorie foods common in the West, while physical activity is decreasing. These lifestyle changes are making obesity an increasingly urgent problem globally.
Last September, the World Health Organization made a pivotal decision: it listed the drug semaglutide as an essential medicine. Semaglutide is sold as Wegovy to treat obesity and as Ozempic to treat diabetes. However, global health leaders warned at the time that high prices were preventing people from accessing this vital aid. The medicine remains too expensive for most people in developing nations to afford.
A new, unpublished study suggests that semaglutide could be mass-produced for as little as three dollars. This equates to approximately 2.35 British pounds for a monthly dose—a sharp decline from current prices. Researchers also examined newer versions of the drug administered as pills rather than injections, estimating they could be produced for about sixteen dollars a month.
Dr. Andrew Hill, from the University of Liverpool and co-author of the study, stated that these low prices open the door for the global population to access this important medicine. The potential for affordability is vast. History demonstrates that cost has long been a major barrier to life-saving treatments; lowering the price breaks down that barrier.