Cold-chain delivery rules for Wegovy eased in the UK

Weight-loss drug Wegovy can now be transported at temperatures of up to 30°C for as long as 48 hours within the UK, following an approval update by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Previously, the distribution and delivery of Wegovy FlexTouch injections – otherwise known as semaglutide – was fully subject to cold chain distribution, meaning it had to be kept at 2–8°C from where it was made to where it was used.

Following the MHRA approval, Wegovy has become the first and only GLP-1 weight-management drug in UK with flexibility around cold-chain delivery.

According to the drug's manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, the approval will reduce distribution complexity and support the reliability of home delivery models for pharmacies and online partners.

Sebnem Avsar Tuna, general manager at Novo Nordisk UK, said: ‘Across the UK, pharmacists and other healthcare providers are increasingly using direct delivery of medicines to patients' homes.

We welcome the approval by the MHRA, which will help these providers reduce delivery complexities, supporting efficiency and sustainability in the final stage of delivery to patients’

Mike Doustdar, chief executive and president of Novo Nordisk, said: ‘Home delivery of medicines is growing rapidly, given the convenience of being able to receive your medicines at your doorstep, which we have come to expect from most other aspects of our lives.

‘People with obesity using prescription medicine may also face stigma, and we are therefore excited about the opportunity to reduce distribution complexity while further enabling discrete home delivery options.’

Novo Nordisk said that the approval reflected evolving industry practices, and that it could simplify and lower delivery costs for pharmacies and online partners, while also lessening the environmental footprint of Wegovy by reducing packaging volume and weight.

This announcement was made just weeks after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) made a similar decision on 9 April and eased cold-chain delivery requirements for Wegovy in the EU.

Meanwhile, the MHRA recently approved a new single-dose 7.2mg semaglutide pen to treat adult patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30kg/m² or higher.