A scarcity of weight-loss medicine such because the newly launched Ozempic rival Zepbound, is forcing determined clients to drive as a lot as 5 hours to discover a pharmacy that has the dear meds in inventory.
Zepbound, released last November by pharma giant Eli Lilly, is in restricted provide via the top of the month as a consequence of what the Meals and Drug Administration says is a “demand enhance.”
Sufferers searching for the 5 mg and 12.5 mg doses of the drug must wait due to “limited availability,” in response to the FDA.
A Reddit thread dedicated to Zepbound customers included testimonials from individuals who have had issue acquiring the drug, which prices $1,100 for a month’s provide.
“I drove 5 hrs spherical journey final night time to St. Cloud and Alexandria MN,” a Minnesota girl wrote on Reddit.
She managed to come up with a field of 5 mg and one field of seven.5 mg injections, she wrote.
The Reddit thread contains anecdotes from different customers who’ve struggled to fill their prescriptions.
“Anybody having luck? I’ve known as each Walgreens and Costco I can discover inside an hour of Minneapolis and up to now have been informed no inventory and anticipate mid-Could,” wrote one Zepbound seeker.
A Lilly spokesperson stated that the corporate plans to spice up spending on manufacturing to handle provide issues.
“We acknowledge this example might trigger a disruption in peoples’ therapy regimens and are working with objective and urgency to handle it,” the spokesperson stated.
“Whereas we anticipate intermittent availability within the close to time period as a consequence of unprecedented demand, we anticipate our investments in manufacturing and provide capability to progressively enhance manufacturing of Mounjaro and Zepbound all through the second half of 2024.”
Final November, the FDA accredited Zepbound as a weight-loss administration therapy for folks with weight problems.
Zepbound is marketed as a diabetes drug underneath the title Mounjaro as each medicines have the identical energetic ingredient — tirzepatide.
Whereas Mounjaro, additionally made by Eli Lilly, is accredited by the FDA to deal with Sort 2 diabetes, some medical doctors prescribe the drug “off-label” for weight reduction.
Mounjaro’s availability can also be restricted as a consequence of a “demand enhance.”
Final yr, Eli Lilly offered greater than $5 billion price of Mounjaro, in response to the corporate. Its income final yr soared to $34 billion — a 20% enhance over 2022.
Zepbound introduced in gross sales of $176 million via Dec. 31, in response to Lilly.
Novo Nordisk, the Danish producer of Ozempic and Wegovy, additionally has raked in billions from the sale of the weight-loss medicine.
Gross sales of Ozempic generated round $13.9 billion final yr whereas Wegovy introduced in round $4.5 billion.
Two-thirds of gross sales of Ozempic have been US-based, whereas greater than 90% of Wegovy’s gross sales went to clients within the US.
