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GLP-1s

While the list price for a monthly supply of Ozempic in the U.S. nears $1,000, new research indicates it could be manufactured for less than $5 per month, sparking calls from lawmakers for Novo Nordisk to lower the price of…

Sen. Bernie Sanders wants to schedule a meeting with Novo Nordisk's CEO after researchers said its blockbuster Type 2 diabetes drug, Ozempic, could remain profitable if it was made for less than $5, Bloomberg reported March 28. 

Some bariatric surgeons are noticing a decrease in referrals because of the increasing popularity of GLP-1s, which mimic a gut hormone that suppresses appetite and makes patients feel full. 

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Less than two weeks after Novo Nordisk's weight loss drug Wegovy was approved to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, CMS has issued guidance for Medicare coverage of weight loss drugs, The Wall Street Journal reported March 21. 

Anita Courcoulas, MD, defines GLP-1s as "generation one;" dual GLP-1 and GIPs as the second; and a triple threat of GLP-1, GIP and GCGRs as the third generation of weight loss drugs. 

As Novo Nordisk campaigns against counterfeit versions of Ozempic, its Type 2 diabetes drug popularly used for weight loss, one analysis predicts the therapy will log $16.1 billion in sales in 2024, making it the second top-selling drug. 

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