A box of Wegoby manufactured by Novo Nordisk is seen at a pharmacy in London, UK on March 8, 2024.
Holly Adams | Reuters
Demand for weight loss drugs is surging in the United States, despite limited insurance coverage and undiscounted prices of about $1,000 per month.
However, some patients are willing to pay more out-of-pocket for these treatments than others. And that desire is strongly correlated with annual income.
This is according to Evercore ISI’s recent research focused on GLP-1, a new class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. From January 24 to February 20, the company enrolled more than 600 participants who were currently taking GLP-1, were considering treatment, or had taken GLP-1 in the past but were not currently taking it. A survey was conducted on the subject.
The findings on how much patients are willing to spend highlight concerns about equity in access to breakthrough new medicines while insurance coverage is tenuous.
GLP-1 includes: novo nordiskblockbuster weight loss injection Wegovy and diabetes treatment Ozempic; Eli Lilly”Popular weight loss treatment Zepbound and diabetes injection Munjaro.
Monthly packages for GLP-1 cost between $900 and $1,350, excluding insurance and other rebates. Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have savings programs aimed at reducing out-of-pocket costs for weight loss drugs, regardless of whether a patient has commercial insurance.
The majority (nearly 60%) of people surveyed with annual incomes of $250,000 or more said the maximum price they were willing to pay out of pocket for GLP-1 was $300 or more per month.
Only about 4% of people making less than $75,000 said the same. Of this group, 64% said the maximum price they were willing to pay out of pocket for GLP-1 was $50 per month or less.
Research shows that the maximum monthly out-of-pocket costs for people currently receiving GLP-1 are roughly in line with the actual cost of treatment. Highest price respondents said they would accept a disproportionately lower payment among those who had previously taken her GLP-1 or were considering taking it.
More than half of those currently taking GLP-1 said they pay less than $50 per month out of pocket. Almost 75% of people who were taking either drug said they spent the same amount.
A small percentage of people in both groups paid more than $750 per month for GLP-1 out of pocket.
The survey also asked respondents how long they had been using drugs.
Of note, more than 80% of those who had previously received treatment had been on treatment for 12 months or less. Some people discontinue treatment because of cost, while others discontinue treatment after achieving weight loss goals or experiencing side effects.
Premature discontinuation of treatment by some patients is a concern for some insurance companies who are reluctant to cover them.
Still, nearly half of those currently taking GLP-1 said they planned to continue taking the drug forever. Only 10% of people considering treatment said the same thing. Of this group, more than 70% said they intended to continue on GLP-1 until they achieved their weight loss goals.
The study also asked participants whether they would resume taking GLP-1 if they regained weight after stopping the drug. The majority of patients in all groups answered yes, including those currently taking GLP-1, those considering GLP-1, or those who had previously taken GLP-1.
42% of people taking GLP-1 said they regained “some” weight after stopping treatment. About 13% said they got most of it back, and 23% said they got all of it back. Additionally, 23% said they continued to lose weight after stopping the drug.
This weight gain is consistent with what has been observed in several clinical trials of drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound.
In another part of the study, participants were asked whether taking GLP-1 affected their eating and drinking habits.
More than 70% of respondents reported eating less when taking GLP-1, regardless of pre-existing conditions. This refers to other health problems such as diabetes, asthma, and high blood pressure.
This finding is not surprising. GLP-1 works by mimicking hormones produced in the intestines to suppress a person’s appetite and regulate blood sugar levels. Some treatments, such as Zepbound, mimic multiple gut hormones.
More than half of people without pre-existing conditions say they drink less alcohol after taking GLP-1. About 27% said the treatment had no effect on their drinking, and 22% said they were abstinent.
A larger proportion (51%) of people with pre-existing conditions said they avoided alcohol. The remainder said that taking GLP-1 reduced their alcohol intake.
Several studies have demonstrated that specific GLP-1 suppresses alcohol intake in rodents and monkeys. However, further studies in humans are needed.
— CNBC’s Gabriel Cortez contributed to this report
