Patients in large numbers are rushing to procure the first new obesity treatment which will hit the market soon. The drug has boosted Novo Nordisk sales. Demand for Wegovy, a weekly injection that suppresses patients' appetite and helps them lose about 15% of their body weight rising.
Last quarter, the Danish drugmaker's obesity-drug revenue increased by an unprecedented 41 percent.
According to Chief Executive Officer Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, the pandemic may have influenced people to lose weight because there is evidence that being overweight can worsen the outcome
for Covid-19 patients.
The drug is the first slimming prescription medicine to gain approval in the United States in seven years, where the majority of adults are overweight and struggle to lose or keep weight
off.
Jorgensen stated that drug prices are decreasing in the United States, despite the fact that consumers are paying higher co-payments.
On Wednesday, Fruergaard Jorgensen said, "Demand is strong." "It's unfortunate that we can't help all of the patients." According to him, the company is working
to overcome supply constraints in order to produce and package as much medicine as possible, and the shortage should be resolved early next year.
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Novo, which is best known for its diabetes treatments, is refocusing its efforts to combat the global obesity epidemic, a related chronic illness with immense growth potential. Many pharmaceutical
companies have tried and failed to capture the market, releasing products that either disappointed or proved to be risky.
By 2025, there will be an estimated 1 billion obese people on the planet, increasing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Health-care costs will reach a new high. Since 2018,
the number of states in the United States with more than a third of adults obese has nearly doubled.
Wegovy is expected to become a blockbuster next year, with annual revenue reaching $3.2 billion in 2024, according to experts.
How does Wegovy work?
The medication acts by simulating a hormone called GLP-1, which regulates appetite and food intake in the brain.
Side effects of Wegovy
The weight-reducing drug, like any other medicine, comes with certain side effects. Symptoms reported by patients include nausea, vomiting, and acid reflux.