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The popularity of weight-loss drugs has created a potentially lucrative secondary market, with companies vying for a piece of it.
Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s obesity drugs are poised to become some of the most popular drugs of all time. Novo’s Ozempic is already on track to become one of the most popular drugs in history. Top Selling Drugs in 2023And with many more potential indications to come, there seems to be no limit to the widespread marketing of GLP-1.
According to some estimates, GLP-1 market is $100 billion With the market expected to reach 1.5 billion US dollars or more, and with strong growth expected, peripheral pharmaceutical companies are capitalizing on the opportunity to capitalize on complementary products and services.
The benefits of budgeting
Together List price Ozempic costs about $1,000 a month, but mass rollout in the US could be a huge blow to insurers. The high cost has worried lawmakers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT), who said, “The prohibitive prices of (Novo’s) Wegovy and other weight-loss drugs are Possibility of bankruptcy Medicare and our entire health care system.”
Currently, markets covered by the Affordable Care Act include: 45 million Americanscovering GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. According to KFF: Only 1% 82% of ACA prescription drug plans cover Wegovy, which is approved to treat weight loss and cardiovascular disease in adults who are obese or overweight. Ozempic, which is approved only to treat diabetes, is covered by 82% of plans.
Although the scope of GLP-1 coverage is expanding in the employment insurance market, Only 34% According to a survey released in June by the International Employee Benefits Fund, 19% of employers offer coverage for both diabetes and weight loss. But 19% of plans that currently only cover diabetes are considering expanding benefits to include weight loss, creating a potential opportunity for some providers.
Data analytics company Xevant and Ivim Health, which offers GLP-1 programs for both branded drugs and the compound semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic), have partnered to offer medical weight loss corporate benefits starting August 1. Ivim at WorkThe collaboration includes GLP-1 therapy with personalized support and data analytics, which the pair tout as an overall cost-saving measure by reducing the likelihood of chronic diseases caused by obesity, which translates into rising costs for employers.
Lifestyle Support
Other companies are also looking to enter the space to support lifestyle changes for weight loss through GLP-1. Major brands are offering new services such as: Customized Diet Plans Weight Watchers recently launched GNC Support Section Food subscription company Daily Harvest GLP-1 Companion Food Collection.
Nestle Health Science, which offers disease-specific formulas and protein products, is also joining the trend. Web Platform Last month, it was designed specifically for people using GLP-1 drugs.
The website features nutritional products that can offset some of the medication’s side effects, such as muscle loss, dehydration, stomach upset, etc. But the platform will soon also feature registered dietitians to help patients with their diets, as well as some “expert tips.” video Learn how to manage the side effects of GLP-1 and achieve maximum weight loss.
The emergence of these services underscores the impact GLP-1 drugs have had on lifestyle trends, with some programs attracting thousands of users. Calibrate, which offers a GLP-1 program that includes medication, video coaching and insurance assistance, Number of members: 16,000According to the company’s latest report.
Data Tracking
Data companies are also finding new opportunities to serve the GLP-1 market.
AI platform Dandelion Health said in May GLP-1 Data Library The library was built to gain insights into the drug class. It leverages data from partners at non-academic medical centers and includes 200,000 patient records that reveal patterns in weight loss quality through biomarkers, head-to-head efficacy, treatment effects beyond current uses, and side effects associated with use, the company said. Additionally, the data could help develop tools to identify patients with “uncontrolled symptoms” and match treatment plans, Dandelion said in its announcement.
“While great strides have been made in obesity treatment over the past few years, there is still a significant gap between today’s cardiometabolic therapies and the high level of innovation, significant investment, and highly personalized treatment paradigms seen in immunology and oncology,” Dandelion CEO and co-founder Elliot Green said in May. “These markets got to where they are today because of data – data that illuminates the underlying mechanisms of disease, differences in how individuals experience disease, and, as a result, differences in their responses to treatment.”
As well as tracking the impact GLP-1 has on patients, Ro, which provides direct telehealth care to patients, is using data to do just that. GLP-1 supply shortage Helping patients find their medications: Launched in May, the GLP-1 Supply Tracker is an interactive map that provides real-time information on shortages and supply alerts. The tracker allows users to report where they have found the obesity drug and where they are facing shortages.
