As Novo Nordisk campaigns against counterfeit versions of Ozempic, its Type 2 diabetes drug popularly used for weight loss, one analysis predicts the therapy will log $16.1 billion in sales in 2024, making it the second top-selling drug.
Merck's Keytruda is expected to earn $27.2 billion this year, according to data analytics firm EvaluatePharma.
Nine recent updates on Ozempic and its competitors:
Research
1. In a clinical trial of more than 3,500 Type 2 diabetes patients, Ozempic reduced the risk of kidney disease-related events by 24%. In October, Novo Nordisk said the trial on kidney outcomes would be stopped early because of strong results. After announcing the trial results in early March, the drugmaker said it will seek a label expansion for Ozempic in the U.S. and European Union this year.
2. Semaglutide, the active ingredient of Ozempic and Wegovy, also reduced the severity of liver disease in people with HIV, according to research from the National Institutes of Health. A weekly injection of the drug was safe and reduced the amount of liver fat by 31% in HIV patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
The study was the first clinical trial of semaglutide for MASLD in HIV patients.
3. Multiple trials are underway researching the potential benefits of Ozempic and Wegovy on cravings for alcohol. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists mimic a gut hormone that suppresses appetite and promotes a feeling of fullness, and researchers are testing whether this drug class is safe and effective as an alcohol use disorder treatment.
4. Novo Nordisk discovered promising results from its phase 1 trial of its Amycretin pill, a daily oral version of Wegovy, which is a weekly injection. Study participants shed about 13% of their body weight in 12 weeks with Amycretin — more than double the weight lost during the same time period with Wegovy, which is about 6%.
New approval
5. On March 8, Wegovy — Novo Nordisk's chronic weight management therapy — was approved to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke in adults who have cardiovascular disease and are either obese or overweight. It is the first weight loss drug to be indicated for serious heart problems in obese and overweight adults.
About 70% of U.S. adults are obese or overweight, which the FDA said are "serious health issues that increase the risk for premature death and a variety of health problems, including heart attack and stroke."
In a phase 3, five-year trial, the medication reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 20% and quelled heart failure-related symptoms.
Supply chain
6. Legislators are working to lessen the nation's reliance on China-based companies, and weight loss and diabetes drugs might be swept up, Bloomberg reported March 6.
Much of the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's Zepbound and Mounjaro, tirzepatide, is produced by WuXi AppTec Co. A bipartisan bill moving through Congress could hinder the collaboration between Eli Lilly and WuXi, which works with the world's 20 largest pharmaceutical companies.
The bill, called the Biosecure Act, is still in committee.
Payer coverage
7. Increasingly, health systems and other employers are dropping coverage for GLP-1s used for weight loss. In response, Cigna Group launched EnircleRx, a program aimed at helping employers control those costs. Cigna described the program as the first GLP-1 management program with a financial guarantee for health plans, and it said EnricleRx will cap annual increases at 15%.
New care guideline
8. On March 11, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology published a new anesthesia guidance for patients taking GLP-1s. The medications delay gastric emptying, which can disrupt normal fasting rules for elective surgeries. The AANA recommends conducting ultrasounds to inspect patients' stomachs and skipping the last GLP-1 dose before surgeries.
In mid-2023, the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the American Gastroenterological Association recommended similar actions after receiving anecdotal reports of patients aspirating and regurgitating.
Off-label uses
9. Some women planning a pregnancy are turning to GLP-1s to lose weight, The New York Times reported. Some research suggests excess weight can make it more difficult to become pregnant and can increase the risk of miscarriage and pregnancy complications. Data on these medications and pregnancy is sparse, however, so physicians recommend women stop taking the drugs two months before trying to conceive.
Menopausal women wanting to lose weight are also seeking GLP-1s because most women gain up to 1.5 pounds each year during menopause, which can last up to a decade. This weight gain can lead to a higher risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and it is correlated with more hot flashes and night sweats.