DENMARK— Saxenda, a popular obesity medicine from Novo Nordisk, is grappling with limited availability, according to an update posted on the FDA’s drug shortage list.
The surging demand for Saxenda has left the company struggling to keep up, raising concerns that the problem may persist beyond this year.
The scarcity of Saxenda arose after Novo Nordisk’s widely sought-after obesity drug, Wegovy, experienced supply issues, causing patients to turn to Saxenda as an alternative.
Despite the company’s efforts to ship all available injections to wholesalers and pharmacies, Novo Nordisk admits that many patients may encounter difficulties filling their Saxenda prescriptions throughout 2023 and beyond.
While Novo Nordisk remains mum on whether Saxenda’s shortage will impact Victoza, a type 2 diabetes treatment containing a lower dose of the same liraglutide ingredient, industry insiders fear that the strain on Saxenda could have a ripple effect on other medications.
Liraglutide, found in Saxenda, is a less potent GLP-1 agonist compared to Novo’s semaglutide, which features in Wegovy for weight reduction and Ozempic for diabetes. Ozempic has also experienced shortages as individuals seeking weight loss turned to it as an alternative option.
The surge in Saxenda demand began over a year ago when Wegovy encountered early manufacturing hurdles.
Saxenda’s sales soared by 52% in 2022, reaching an impressive 10.7 billion Danish krones (approximately US$1.6 billion).
The momentum continued into 2023, with sales already hitting 3.3 billion Danish krones (approximately US$0.5 billion) in the first quarter alone.
Acknowledging the limited supply of Saxenda, Novo Nordisk advises patients to discuss alternative treatment options with their healthcare providers. However, this poses a challenge, as existing obesity therapies also suffer from their own supply issues.
To manage the overwhelming demand for Wegovy, Novo implemented temporary measures in May, reducing the supply of low doses to accommodate existing patients while limiting new patient enrollments.
The FDA’s drug shortage list reflects this, with limited supply reported for Wegovy in various dosages through September.
In response to market pressures, Novo took decisive action to curtail Wegovy marketing efforts in May, halting local television advertising and postponing the rollout of a national TV campaign. The company also adjusted its promotional strategies to doctors.
Eli Lilly, a major player in the pharmaceutical industry, experienced similar supply constraints with its Mounjaro, an approved diabetes treatment showing promising clinical data for obesity.
The intermittent back orders for Mounjaro dosages, as indicated by the FDA’s drug shortage information, highlight the broader challenges facing the obesity medicine market.
Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have invested significantly in capacity expansions to address these supply constraints.
Novo unveiled a US$2.58 billion plan to build three new manufacturing facilities and expand its Kalundborg site in Denmark, primarily to increase active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) production.
Likewise, Eli Lilly allocated US$1.6 billion to expand its new manufacturing sites, making it the largest single-site investment in the company’s history.
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