Obesity treatment Wegovy will be available in South Korea in October, 18 months after receiving approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Endorsed by Tesla founder Elon Musk, the weight loss drug has been globally scarce.
Novo Nordisk South Korea announced on Sept. 10 that Wegovy will be launched domestically next month. This glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which stimulates insulin secretion, has demonstrated an average weight loss of 15% in clinical trials. In South Korea, Wegovy will be prescribed to patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or higher, or to those with a BMI between 27 kg/m² and 30 kg/m² who have at least one comorbidity. It can also be used to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with a BMI of 27 kg/m² or higher. The release date for Ozempic, a diabetes treatment with the same active ingredient as Wegovy and already available in the U.S., remains undecided in South Korea.
