Weight-loss drugs under review in UK after reports of suicidal thoughts | Drugs

A popular weight-loss drug is among those being reviewed in the UK after being linked to reports of suicidal or self-harming thoughts within patients.

Reuters reports that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said in the statement that it was reviewing a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, sold by the company Novo Nordisk.

One of the drugs included within the review is Ozempic, which contains the active ingredient semaglutide. It was originally approved to treat type 2 diabetes but has gained enormous popularity for facilitating weight loss.

Another drug included is Saxenda, also manufactured by Novo Nordisk, which contains the active ingredient liraglutide and is also approved as a weight-loss treatment.

Novo Nordisk confirmed the review, saying that it had received a request on Monday from the MHRA about the agency’s review of potential suicidal and self-harming thoughts related to these types of drugs. It said: “The review is ongoing and a response will be provided within the requested timelines.”

The review, initiated on 12 July, is based on the MHRA receiving five reports of suspected adverse drug reactions involving semaglutide associated with “suicidal and self-injurious behaviour”, via its Yellow Card scheme for collecting and monitoring safety concerns such as side effects from medicines.

Between 2010 and 6 July this year, the MHRA received 12 suspected adverse drug reactions involving liraglutide also associated with “suicidal and self-injurious behaviour”. The MHRA added that AstraZeneca’s drug for type 2 diabetes was also included in the review, as well as Sanofi’s lixisenatide and Eli Lilly’s dulaglutide.

Drugs containing GLP-1 receptor agonists were originally developed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes as they suppress appetite and promote the feeling of fullness.

A study from earlier this year found that nearly half of children who were assigned these types of drugs lost enough weight to no longer be classed as clinically obese.

Dr Alison Cave, the agency’s chief safety officer, said: “Patient safety is our top priority. We will carefully consider all available evidence and communicate any further advice to patients and healthcare professionals as appropriate.”

The MHRA said in its statement that, though Ozempic was not approved for weight loss, “it is commonly used off-label for that purpose” in Britain.

Although the MHRA approved Wegovy, the brand name for semaglutide, in 2021, the drug has not yet launched in Britain as Novo Nordisk said it wanted to prioritise its supply in the US.

According to studies, the weekly injection can lead to an average weight loss of about 15%, alongside changes to diet and exercise.

The European Medicines Agency said earlier this month it had begun investigating GLP-1 drugs after Iceland’s health regulator flagged three cases of patients thinking about suicide or self-harm, as well as a possible risk of thyroid cancer.

Novo Nordisk has been approached for comment.