Introduction
If you’ve been on Ozempic or Wegovy, we’re sure you’ve enjoyed its blood sugar level reduction and weight loss benefits. Many patients consider semaglutide a godsend in helping them manage their type 2 diabetes or shed pounds.
But as with any medicine, these therapeutic benefits come at a price. A month’s supply of Ozempic can easily set you back by around $830*, and Wegovy at $1,237*. Especially if you’re using semaglutide to manage a chronic condition, you might wonder, ‘Will semaglutide get cheaper?’
Read on as we dive into factors influencing semaglutide’s cost and what will make it potentially lower its price tag.
What is semaglutide?
For us to understand why semaglutide is priced so high, we must know what it is and how it works. How is it so effective in regulating blood glucose and in reducing weight?
The secret lies in its composition. Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, or GLP-1 Ra, for short. It mimics a gut-based hormone, GLP-1, which triggers the release of insulin to regulate high blood sugar levels.
At the same time, semaglutide delays gastric emptying, the process wherein food exits the gut and enters the small intestine. Because digestion is slower, people taking semaglutide have fewer food cravings. The weaker appetite and less caloric intake result in weight loss we know all too well with Ozempic and Wegovy. Semaglutide also sends signals to the brain that you’re already full.
Eligibility
To be eligible for semaglutide, you need to meet certain diagnostic criteria, which your healthcare provider can evaluate.
To take Ozempic or its sister brand Rybelsus, you must have type 2 diabetes, which they are FDA-approved to treat. Doctors may also prescribe Ozempic them for heart disease, as they have additional approval for reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems. It is also applicable to those dealing with insulin resistance.
Wegovy, on the other hand, has FDA approval to treat obesity. Wegovy users need to have a BMI of at least 27 or greater. In addition, they must also have one weight-related health condition or a BMI of 30 or greater.
Although Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus have different uses, they all share the same active ingredient, semaglutide. Additionally, they offer the same therapeutic benefits of blood sugar regulation and weight management. This is why many doctors choose to prescribe Ozempic or Rybelsus off-label for weight loss.
Oral and subcutaneous semaglutide
You may be familiar with Ozempic and Wegovy being injectable medicines. But did you know that semaglutide also comes in tablet format?
Rybelsus, referred to as oral semaglutide, comes in tablet format and is taken orally.
Ozempic and Wegovy, meanwhile, are subcutaneous semaglutide as they come in injectable pens and you inject them under the skin. Meanwhile, you take Rybelsus orally once daily on an empty stomach.
Dosage and administration
If it’s your first time taking semaglutide, your doctor will typically start you off on a low dose. Gradually, this dose will increase until you reach a maintenance level. This is to help your body adjust to the drug.
You can inject both Ozempic and Wegovy subcutaneously in your abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. You must administer it once weekly regardless of meals.
Make sure that you are not injecting into a muscle or vein. It is best to use a different injection site with every injection. However, if you want to use the same injection site, pick a different spot in that area.
Cost of semaglutide
There are several ways you can get a prescription for semaglutide. You can get it from a doctor, online from state-licensed pharmacies, FDA-registered outsourcing facilities registered, or telemedicine companies.
According to a November 2024 report, semaglutide brands had the following pharmacy retail prices for one month’s supply:
- Ozempic: $830-870 (list price at $968.52)*
- Wegovy: $1,237-$1,340 (list price at $1,349.02)*
- Rybelsus: $848-$917 (list price at $968.52)*
With insurance
With insurance, Ozempic can cost $25 for one to three months’ supply, while Wegovy can cost $0 per dose with insurance. Patients can also use Wegovy’s savings card, where people with insurance can save up to $225 for every 28-day supply. Those without insurance, meanwhile, can save up to $500, also for a 28-day supply.
Rybelsus’ cost, on the other hand, will vary depending on the insurance plan, treatment plan, and the pharmacy. Patients with insurance eligible for savings and support may pay as low as $10 for one to three months’ supply.
If you have insurance, you might need to secure prior authorization first before your rovider covers Rybelsus.
*Prices subject to change
Non-coverage of semaglutide
Insurance companies don’t typically cover weight loss drugs as they perceive obesity as a cosmetic issue rather than a chronic disease. Weight loss medications also have hefty price tags, with a month’s supply easily going beyond $1,000 a month.
In 2023, only one in every four employers covered GLP-1 weight loss drugs. These employers, however, are tightening the criteria for their eligibility.
Another hindrance to the coverage of semaglutide injections is a 2023 law that prevents Medicare from covering weight loss medications. Medicare is the US federal health insurance for citizens aged 65 or older.
Ironically, insurance companies denied coverage to those who had successful semaglutide treatments.
Why semaglutide is so expensive
Currently, only Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk produces semaglutide, and it will be a while before a generic version is available. As the inventor of semaglutide, they have a patent on semaglutide that is in effect until December 5, 2031.
Because of this patent, they can charge how much they want for semaglutide. This also allows them to recover the hundreds of millions spent on running the drug’s clinical trials, among other expenditures.
When the patent lapses, other pharmaceutical companies can start manufacturing their generic versions of semaglutide, which will likely be cheaper.
Until then, only those who can afford semaglutide or whose health insurance plans cover the drug can avail of it. There’s also the cost of the auto-injector pens for Ozempic and Wegovy.
In a statement to Fortune.com, a Novo Nordisk representative shared that “the most effective way for the millions of Americans who need anti-obesity medicines to be able to access and afford [semaglutide] is to ensure these medicines are covered by government and commercial insurance plans.”
Will semaglutide get cheaper?
Yes, semaglutide will get cheaper. As mentioned, Novo Nordisk currently has a patent that prevents other pharmaceutical companies from manufacturing it at a lower price. Once Novo Nordisk’s patent lapses, consumers can expect more affordable options for semaglutide.
The supply issue
Because of semaglutide’s popularity, it has led to a major supply issue worldwide likely to continue for several more years. Because of the clamor, Novo Nordisk recorded its highest-ever profits, making it Europe’s most valuable company in September 2023.
Currently, semaglutide is sold in countries like Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Switzerland, the US, and the UK.
Novo Nordisk has admitted a “short-term stock-out” of Wegovy in the US through December due to demand beyond supply capacities. Fortunately, Wall Street predicts this demand will slow down in 2024 with more treatments becoming available in the market.
As of January 2024, pharmaceutical companies have been increasing the prices of their medications. The cost of Ozempic, in particular, rose by 3.5 percent for a month’s supply.
In February, Novo Nordisk announced it had increased the availability of Wegovy in the US, doubling quantities in smaller doses. They would increase its overall supply throughout 2024.
Alternatives on the market
As consumers grapple with the shortage, healthcare providers have been turning to alternatives to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. These include Trulicity (dulaglutide), Victoza (liraglutide), Bydureon (exenatide), Rybelsus (semaglutide), Adlyxin (lixisenatide), and Byetta (exenatide).
Orforglipron and retatrutide
Two new drugs will also be available soon: orforglipron and retatrutide, both made by American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.
The two drugs, which are GLP-1 Ras, mimic hormones in the lining of the gut in response to particular nutrients. They slow down digestion and curb appetite by acting on brain receptors involved in appetite, helping promote weight loss.
Orforglipron on average helped patients lose up to 24.2% of their body weight over an 11-month treatment period. Retatrutide, meanwhile, helped patients lose 5% of their body weight.
These will reportedly be cheaper to produce and will offer more therapeutic benefits than semaglutide and other popular weight loss drugs. Orforglipron is a non-peptide molecule that is easy to manufacture into a pill. Although Eli Lilly has not yet released its price, people expect it to be much cheaper than semaglutide.
Compounded semaglutide
Consumers are also turning to compounded semaglutide, a version of the drug that contains other ingredients such as vitamins.
While the FDA has approved some drugstores to custom-mix variations of semaglutide, some reports have cited their adverse effects. Other reports noted that compounders used salt forms of semaglutide, such as semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate.
Although compounded semaglutide offers a cheaper alternative, patients must get it from an outsourcing facility or a state-licensed pharmacy. If you are buying semaglutide online, make sure you are purchasing from a valid and reputable online pharmacy.
Conclusion
Semaglutide is expected to get cheaper once the patent of its manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, lapses in 2031. Other pharmaceutical companies will have the chance to produce generic versions of the drug at a more affordable price.
Amid supply issues, consumers are turning to other drugs like dulaglutide, liraglutide, exenatide, lixisenatide, exenatide, and compounded forms of semaglutide.
Two new GLP-1 drugs, orforglipron and retatrutide, show promise with their efficacy in reducing body weight based on clinical trials. People also expect these to be much cheaper and easier to produce.
Glossary of terms:
- GLP-1: Glucagon-like peptide-1 is a gut-based hormone involved in the secretion of insulin to lower blood sugar levels typically elevated after meals.
- GLP-1 Ra: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist. It mimics the actions of GLP-1.
