Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) weight reduction drug Wegovy (semaglutide), which may be prescribed to Medicare beneficiaries who’re each overweight and have heart problems, might value the system as much as $145B per yr.
If all beneficiaries who’re eligible for Wegovy have been to obtain it, it could value Medicare $34B to $145B yearly, relying on the definition of established CVD, in keeping with a report within the Annals of Inner Medication.
In March, the U.S. FDA accepted an extra indication for Wegovy for discount of main CV occasions similar to coronary heart assault, stroke and demise in obese or overweight folks with established CVD. This indication made the drug eligible for Medicare protection for these with heart-related illnesses.
The $34B determine is predicated on 3.6M enrollees turning into eligible for Wegovy protection, whereas $145B is that if 15.2M are eligible, primarily based on a extra liberal definition of CVD.
A Kaiser Household Basis examine launched in April discovered that 3.6M Medicare sufferers might qualify for Wegovy protection.
Eli Lilly’s (LLY) rival Zepbound (tirzepatide) doesn’t but have a CVD indication although the corporate is pursuing it. Information from the section 3 SUMMIT trial launched earlier in August discovered the drug cut the danger of coronary heart failure by 38% in comparison with placebo.