Some patients are switching from compounded GLP-1 drugs to branded versions following the introduction of lower-cost pill forms.
Novo Nordisk began selling an oral form of Wegovy in January, and Eli Lilly introduced Foundayo pills last month. Both companies have expressed concerns about the lack of scrutiny of compounded versions, which are allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in personalized formulations and doses.
"I am seeing people switching from compounds," Dr. Michael Weintraub, assistant clinical professor of endocrinology at NYU Langone in New York, told Pharma.com from The Economic Times. "I have patients increasingly coming to me saying, 'I hear it's not as expensive to get the pharmaceutical-grade branded version, can we switch over?'"
Lower doses of Wegovy pills cost around $149 per month, while injector pens start at $199 a month. The price of Foundayo also starts at $149 a month, while vials and pens of its GLP-1 obesity drug Zepbound can cost $299 or more for self-pay patients.
The Wegovy pill, which has the same name and active ingredient as the injectable form, has stronger brand recognition, according to doctors. Because it also has established heart-protective data, some patients, especially those at risk of heart disease, are more comfortable with it. Some patients are reluctant to try less-familiar Foundayo, because it is a somewhat different type of medication with no heart-benefit data yet available.
"Something about saying it is new creates a little hesitation in at least a handful of patients I've spoken about it with," said Dr. Jorge Moreno, a Yale Medicine obesity specialist. "It's a small sample, but they've opted for the Wegovy pill."
Other patients are continuing with injections despite lower prices for pills.
"Right now, only a small percentage are switching to the pill," said Dr. Christina Nguyen, an obesity specialist in Atlanta. "The injectables are working well, and people don't want to mess anything up."
However, even the lower prices for pills are still too steep for some patients. "Every day, I get a message from a patient saying 'my insurance company didn't approve or denied it again,'" Moreno said.
The government's initial program to provide GLP-1 coverage to Medicare patients, which will begin in July and continue through 2027, could boost commercial coverage for a larger population. The introduction of GLP-1 pills is expected to spur what already is a fast-growing market.
"This is expanding the market of GLP-1," said Sarah Ro, medical director of the University of North Carolina Health's weight-management program. "Patients who have been offered a GLP-1, but due to price, declined… now, they're wanting to try."
© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.