Ozempic has become somewhat of a buzzword in the Western beauty sphere, making its way from the NHS shelves to Hollywood red carpets. Originally developed as a once-weekly injection for type 2 diabetes, the drug has now made global headlines for its remarkable effects on appetite, cravings, and weight loss. GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy help suppress appetite, but they come with a steep price tag. A new hydrogel-based weight loss pill set to hit the market in 2027 promises to be more affordable than GLP-1 drugs and may also help address the challenge of weight regain. Enter: Sirona.
Following extensive NHS testing, Oxford Medical Products announced the launch of Sirona, a weight-loss drug potentially offering both an earlier-stage intervention than GLP-1s and a safe off-ramp for patients discontinuing them to prevent weight regain. By targeting individuals at the overweight BMI stage, Sirona aims to halt further weight gain early, preventing the progression to obesity and the associated serious health risks. GLP-1 medications are currently prescribed only to individuals with a BMI in the obese range (>30, or >27 with comorbidities), even though many health risks associated with excess weight start to emerge much earlier in the weight gain trajectory.
© AFP via Getty ImagesSirona will also be available at a fraction of the cost of GLP-1 medications. For example, Mounjaro recently saw its price double at higher doses — rising from £122 to £247.50 per month — even after accounting for a discount scheme provided to UK pharmacies by its manufacturer, Eli Lilly.
How Sirona works?
Sirona is a dual-polymer hydrogel pill that expands quickly in the stomach after swallowing, helping to curb appetite by physically reducing space for food. This leads to lower calorie intake and supports weight loss. Designed for individuals with a BMI between 25 and 40, Sirona is especially well-suited for two key groups: first, those in the overweight range (BMI 25–30), enabling early, proactive weight management to prevent progression to obesity and its associated health risks; and second, individuals transitioning off GLP-1 treatments, offering a way to maintain weight loss and reduce the risk of regain after stopping medication.
© Sirona"Obesity is a chronic and often progressive disease. With obesity rates continuing to rise, these results are an important step towards providing a highly differentiated treatment option," said Professor James Byrne, Chief Investigator of the study from University Hospital Southampton. "This trial demonstrated Sirona is a safe, affordable, and non-pharmacological treatment to support long-term weight management. Sirona is a simple, safe, well tolerated oral treatment option for people with overweight and obesity with the potential to be used either instead of or possibly alongside current anti-obesity medications. This is a very exciting potential option for treatment of both overweight and obesity."
