25K Americans starting Wegovy weekly as supply increases and prices drop, drugmaker says

At slightest 25,000 Americans are beginning treatment pinch Novo Nordisk's Wegovy each week and that fig is growing, nan institution said.

The Danish pharmaceutical giant, which has been ramping up accumulation capacity to meet demand, told FOX Business that location are presently "four times" nan number of U.S. patients starting nan medicine compared pinch December 2023.

Over nan past year, Novo said it's been managing shipments of Wegovy "in an effort to support continuity of attraction for existing patients" while moving to summation accumulation capacity. It has been capable to gradually summation shipments of nan 3 lowest dose strengths.

ELI LILLY'S CAMPAIGN SEEKS TO RESOLVE WEIGHT-LOSS DRUG MISCONCEPTIONS

Wegovy was approved by nan FDA for chronic weight guidance successful 2021, and astir precocious arsenic a bosom disease prevention medication.

While Ozempic, which has nan aforesaid progressive ingredient, semaglutide, was approved astir 7 years agone for those pinch Type 2 glucosuria pinch weight nonaccomplishment arsenic a broadside effect. 

Packets of Wegovy move on a conveyor astatine nan Novo Nordisk A/S accumulation accommodation successful Hillerod, Denmark, connected June 12, 2023.  (Carsten Snejbjerg/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The institution is facing stiff title from rival Eli Lilly, which manufactures nan supplier tripeptide and sells it nether marque names Zepbound and Mounjaro. Mounjaro was approved to dainty Type 2 glucosuria successful 2022, while Zepbound was approved past twelvemonth for curen of obesity.

Both companies person seen a surge successful request for their products arsenic precocious floor plan figures and societal media users touted their weight-loss effects. 

In nan latest quarter, income wrong Novo's glucosuria and obesity attraction portion accrued by 25% successful Danish kroner to $8.9 billion. The institution attributes this uptick to nan "GLP-1 glucosuria income maturation of 30% successful Danish kroner and obesity attraction increasing by 41% successful Danish kroner to $1.6 billion. 

FDA APPROVES ELI LILLY'S TIRZEPATIDE FOR WEIGHT LOSS 

In bid to enactment up of nan competition, nan institution announced connected Thursday that nan prices of Wegovy and Ozempic person been dropping.

An injection pen of Zepbound, Eli Lilly's weight-loss drug, is displayed successful New York City, connected Dec. 11, 2023. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid / Reuters Photos)

"Following an expanding marketplace entree and our attraction connected reaching much patients, Wegovy nett prices declined successful nan first quarter," Doug Langa, caput of Novo Nordisk's North America operations, told analysts during an net call. 

Meanwhile, CFO Karsten Munk Knudsen said nan institution sees a "continued simplification successful price" for Ozempic. 

"Given expanding measurement and competition, nett pricing like-for-like will beryllium down successful nan U.S.," Knudsen added. 

Amid nan surge successful demand, countless aesculapian professionals person continued to pass patients that they are not meant to beryllium utilized arsenic a speedy hole to just shed weight.

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Novo told FOX Business that it is "taking aggregate steps to summation consciousness astir nan responsible use" of its medicines. 

"It’s critically important that nan correct patients get nan correct treatment, and we want to do our portion to minimize misinformation wherever we tin and promote others engaged successful nan obesity speech to bring much clarity whenever possible," nan institution said. 

While Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus – which besides contains semaglutide and is approved for curen of Type 2 glucosuria – are different products pinch different indications, dosages and prescribing information. They are not interchangeable and should not beryllium utilized extracurricular their approved indications. In different words, Rybelsus and Ozempic shouldn't beryllium utilized for chronic weight management, Novo said.

Lilly created a run aimed successful portion to thief patients understand nan due usage of anti-obesity medications.