LONDON — GlaxoSmithKline has received a license extension to market a chewable tablet version of its weight-loss aid alli in Europe.

GSK said Monday that the new alli chewable tablets (orlistat 27 mg) are slated to go on sale in pharmacies throughout the United Kingdom in April. Currently, alli comes in 60-mg capsules.

Alli is indicated for overweight adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 28 or more, and according to GSK the product can help boost weight loss versus dieting alone. The company said alli should be used with a reduced calorie, lower-fat diet and that it blocks about 25% of the fat that people eat from being absorbed.

GSK said alli has been available in the United Kingdom since early 2009 and has helped more than 120,000 people across the region to lose weight.