WeightWatchers has announced major changes to its business after writing off £840 million debts and emerging from bankruptcy. The company will introduce weight-loss jabs into its weight loss plans as well as launching a new menopause programme.

After reducing its debts, the company has since pledged to combine weight-loss jabs with lifestyle changes as part of its programmes amid “quick fixes” dominating the market.

It comes after the weight loss drug Mounjaro was made available to those with the “greatest need” on the NHS last month. Around 220,000 people are expected to receive the jabs, also known as tirzepatide, through the NHS over the next three years.

The weight loss company is also shaking up its leadership team after it filed for bankruptcy in the US in May in order to eliminate 1.15 billion US dollars (£840 million) worth of debt on its balance sheet.

The court process enabled it to restructure its finances and write off the debts, which made up more than 70% of the total amount, while agreeing new terms to pay back its lenders.

WeightWatchers’ chief executive Tara Comonte had said it needed to transform amid a “rapidly evolving weight managing landscape”.

On Tuesday, the group said it had appointed a new chief medical officer, physician Dr Kim Boyd, to lead the integration of emerging science into its wider lifestyle-based offering for members.

Dr Boyd said she planned to expand the company’s “legacy” by “combining the best tools of modern medicine, like GLP-1s, with science-backed lifestyle change and the power of community to deliver better outcomes”.

GLP-1s, the scientific term for weight-loss jabs, work by reducing food cravings.

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WeightWatchers recently partnered with anti-obesity drugs provider CheqUp in the UK so patients taking the medication can access its “companion” diet and lifestyle support app.

Ms Comonte said it was a “pivotal moment for the group, adding: “With renewed financial strength, an expanded leadership team, and the addition of Dr Kim Boyd to lead clinical strategy and programme innovation, we’re accelerating our transformation.

“In a landscape dominated by noise, quick fixes, and conflicting advice, WeightWatchers continues to lead as the most trusted, science-backed platform, proven to drive better results and lasting impact.”

The restructuring resulted in the company appointing a new board of directors.

It also revealed it would be launching a new programme later this year to support women through perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, through tailored nutritional and behavioural strategies.

The move will help it address a broader gap in healthcare and meet the evolving needs of millions of its members around the world, it said.