When Olivier Ziegler, head of the specialized obesity center at the Nancy University Hospital (CHRU) in eastern France and a professor of nutrition at the nearby Université de Lorraine, suggested that Stéphane try Wegovy, a new weight-loss drug, his patient didn't hesitate for a second. It was September 2022. At the time, the 50-year-old executive (who declined to give his surname) weighed 145 kilos. The 1.88-meter tall former athlete recounted how he had put on weight over the years due to a sedentary lifestyle. "Up to 100 kilos, it didn't bother me. Aged 40, I started to develop hypertension and sleep apnea. I was even out of breath when I put on my shoes. My BMI [body mass index] was 41."

Online, he read the following: morbidly obese. It came as a shock for the family man. His wife forced him to go to the CSO at the Nancy University Hospital. There, his bad habits were examined. "I became aware of a healthy lifestyle, the concept of food as a reward, and the need for physical activity. I went from 2,000 steps to 6,000 steps a day." In eight months, he lost 8 kilos. Unfortunately, he gained them back on vacation.

Wegovy has literally changed his life. With a weekly subcutaneous injection of 2.4 milligrams, Stéphane lost 25 kilos in eight months. Most importantly, from the very first days, he regained the sensation of satiety, which he hadn't had for many years. "Before, I was never full. I could devour three plates of pasta and four crêpes. My brain wouldn't say 'stop'," he said. "I could no longer tell the difference between craving and need."

Wegovy is one of the latest therapeutic breakthroughs in the treatment of obesity. Like its big brother Ozempic (for diabetics), it mimics the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), stimulating its receptor far more than the natural hormone. This new family of drugs, known as "GLP-1 agonists," includes semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and liraglutide (Saxenda, approved in France since 2021 but not reimbursed by Social Security).

'Neither an appetite suppressant, nor a miracle product'

They affect satiety and therefore help to better control food intake. "But beware, these molecules are not appetite suppressants, nor are they a miracle product," warned Karine Clément, professor of nutrition at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris. "Management must be holistic and include modifying eating behavior, physical activity and psychological support if necessary." Most clinical trials are conducted on this basis.

First marketed in the US in June 2021, Wegovy received European market approval six months later. While it is already available in seven European countries (including the UK, Spain and Norway) it has yet to be launched in France. The Haute Autorité de Santé (French National Authority for Health) did, however, grant it early access approval in July 2022 – a mechanism enabling patients without other treatment options to access a not-yet-approved drug.

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