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The first generics of injectable non-insulin diabetes medicine are set for market with the recent expiration of the patents on liraglutide, the active ingredient in Victoza and Saxenda. Although most people will be more familiar with Ozempic, a similar injectable diabetes treatment, this entire family of drugs has seen rising sales due to their weight-loss potential. As these patents expire, competitors are gearing up to release cheaper generics to exploit the growing demand for these drugs.
Liraglutide and semiglutide, the active ingredients in Ozempic, were initially developed as treatments for managing blood glucose levels in type-2 diabetic patients. However, in recent years, the FDA has approved these drugs for use in chronic weight management. Both liraglutide and semiglutide work by mimicking a hormone in the pancreas that alerts the brain that it is full and slows the rate of at which food is cleared from the stomach. As a result, many users have reported decreased appetite and feeling fuller for longer. One study found obese participants who took Ozempic once a day for 72-week lost a fifth of their body weight. The weight-loss potential has caused the media to go so far as to dub these injectable drugs “skinny jabs.”
Celebrity news and social media have both contributed to the interest in these “skinny jabs”. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Clarkson, and Whoopi Goldberg have all admitted to having been prescribed the medication. Meanwhile, over on TikTok, users are sharing cheaper, nonprescription alternatives. “Rice-zempic”, a dubious concoction of rice-steeped water and lime juice, is just one of many TikTok recommended substitutes. Given the media buzz, it is no surprise that Google searches for Ozempic have seen a 20-fold increase since 2022.
As a consequence of this pop culture boom, prescriptions and sales of these weight-loss drugs have skyrocketed. In their 2023 Annual Report, Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Victoza, Saxenda, and Ozempic, reported that the sales of their obesity-treating medication increased by over 150% in 2023. Novo Nordisk also became the largest company in Europe by market share, in part due to the success of these prescription medications. Despite their size and capability, even Novo Nordisk has struggled to keep up with demand. The company had to recently invest over $4 billion in building a new manufacturing facility in the U.S. to boost output of Ozempic and Wegovy.
The number of Americans being prescribed these weight-loss drugs increases every day, but some in the medical community remain divided over their safety and efficacy. Some medical professionals have raised concern over the potential downsides of prolonged use, with some evidence showing nasty side effects like gastrointestinal distress, pancreatitis, and heart problems. Others insist that any potential downsides pales in comparison to the health impact chronic obesity has on the body.
While the debate rages on, the release of generics may spell good news for patients in the form of lower prescription costs. And with a 30-day supply of Saxenda costing well over $1,000, these skinny jabs might be giving consumers more than one reason to tighten their belts!
Written by Jeffrey Midose