“Generics typically offer a more affordable option compared to brand-name drugs, which could increase accessibility for patients requiring treatment for type 2 diabetes,” Cody Stanford said.
High costs limit options. The list price for Ozempic and Mounjaro each run more than $1,000 a month, which can be difficult to afford, even for people with private insurance, depending on the required copay.
Cody Stanford said she hopes lower-priced generics will prompt Novo Nordisk and Lilly to lower the price of their brand-name drugs, potentially encouraging more insurers to cover GLP-1 medications for both diabetes and weight loss.
Providing generics for type 2 diabetes patients might also help reduce demand for the brand-name drugs, making them more available and potentially less expensive for those who need them for weight loss, she said, quickly adding, “though this is speculative and would depend on several market factors.”
Liraglutide has been available for years longer than the most popular GLP-1s but is less effective and has to be given daily, which might dampen patient interest, she said.
“The market demand is currently for weekly agents with a higher level of efficacy,” she said. “So, we must take this into account as well.”
What are GLP-1s? GLP-1s are a class of drugs that have proven more effective than any previous medications at helping people lose weight safely.
They are so effective that suppliers have struggled to meet demand almost since the FDA approved Ozempic for diabetes in 2017.
Last week, the FDA announced that Lilly had sufficiently met demand for its tirzepatide products, Mounjaro and Zepbound, so they are no longer in short supply ‒ meaning compounding pharmacies will soon have to stop selling cheaper versions of the drugs.
In a Monday news release, the FDA said it “prioritizes the assessment of generic drug applications for drugs in shortage to help improve patient access to these medications.”
More than 38 million Americans have diabetes, meaning their bodies cannot maintain normal levels of blood sugar. Only 5% to 10% have type 1 diabetes, which is caused by a chronic immune attack on the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes typically develops over time, with diet and lifestyle compounding genetic vulnerability.
GLP-1s are beneficial for people with diabetes, although they usually lose less weight than individuals without the disease.
