Swiss food giant Nestlé is developing a new range of frozen meals in the US aimed at consumers on weight loss treatments such as Ozempic or Wegovy, several American media outlets reported on Tuesday.
The Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk initially marketed Ozempic as a medication for type 2 diabetes patients to help regulate their blood sugar levels.
However, worldwide demand for the drug exploded last year because the product is patient-friendly (you have to administer it less frequently than other medication) and it also works as a weight loss medication for non-diabetics. This resulted in severe shortages, and in Belgium specifically the Ozempic has been unavailable for months.
Since this discovery, Novo Nordisk subsequently introduced Wegovy, using the same active ingredient, for people with obesity.
Nestlé is now seeking to capitalise on these successful treatments by launching "companion products". These new offerings contain increased amounts of proteins, iron and calcium, catering specifically to those using these medications to treat obesity.
Industry analysts anticipate that millions of people will use these weight loss drugs in the coming years.
