This content material initially appeared on diaTribe. Republished with permission.
By April Hopcroft
Key takeaways:
- The launch of generic Victoza comes amid shortages for a lot of totally different GLP-1 and incretin medicines for kind 2 diabetes and weight reduction.
- Generic Victoza will price $469.60 for a 2-pack and $704.40 for a three-pack.
- Two different generic Victoza choices are being developed and will launch in December 2024. Patents for newer GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic and Wegovy gained’t expire till a number of years down the street.
Teva Prescription drugs has launched the primary ever generic GLP-1 receptor agonist within the U.S. The launch comes simply as many individuals with diabetes have struggled to entry incretin medicines like Ozempic and Mounjaro amid provide shortages. Along with decreasing blood sugar, GLP-1s and different incretins result in weight reduction and enhance coronary heart and kidney illness.
Generic Victoza (liraglutide injection 1.8 mg) is a once-daily injection accepted to deal with kind 2 diabetes together with eating regimen and bodily exercise in adults and kids aged 10 and older. Additionally it is accepted to scale back the danger of cardiovascular occasions like coronary heart assaults and stroke in adults with kind 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness.
In comparison with newer GLP-1s, Victoza results in modest A1C decreasing and weight reduction. Within the SUSTAIN 10 research, Victoza diminished A1C by 1%, whereas Ozempic diminished A1C by 1.7%. Members misplaced about 4 kilos on Victoza, in comparison with 13 kilos on Ozempic.
Victoza was the second GLP-1 remedy to be accepted within the U.S. for kind 2 diabetes in 2010. In 2014, the drug was accepted for weight reduction below the model title Saxenda. Victoza’s patent within the US and Europe expired in late 2023, paving the best way for firms like Teva to pursue generic variations.
How a lot will generic Victoza price?
Generic Victoza will price $469.60 for a pack of two pens and $704.40 for a pack of three pens. In line with GoodRx, Victoza sometimes prices round $560 for a two-pack and $850 for a three-pack, so that is a couple of 16% to 17% discount in value.
What different generic GLP-1s might we see within the U.S.?
Two different drug makers are additionally engaged on generic Victoza: Sandoz and Viatris (previously Mylan). For the primary six months, solely the primary generic – Teva’s generic Victoza – will likely be accessible available on the market.
The subsequent Victoza generics might launch as quickly as December 2024. As soon as a number of Victoza generics are available on the market, competitors will additional scale back costs.
It’s unlikely that generic variations of different GLP-1 medicines will likely be accessible quickly, as a result of many of those medication have patents that can final for a number of extra years. As an illustration, the patent for Lilly’s Trulicity (dulaglutide) will expire in 2027.
Novo Nordisk’s patents for the burden loss remedy semaglutide (model names Wegovy and Ozempic) will expire in Europe and Japan in 2031 and within the U.S. in 2032. In China, the patent expires barely earlier, in 2026.
Tirzepatide (model names Mounjaro and Zepbound) was solely accepted final yr, so its patent has many extra years. It’s slated to run out in 2039.
The underside line
At present, there are a number of generic diabetes medicines accessible. Metformin is obtainable as both generic or brand-name medication. Different glucose-lowering medication, equivalent to numerous formulations of sulfonylureas, are additionally accessible as generics.
Nevertheless, a lot of the newer diabetes medicines – like GLP-1s and SGLT-2 inhibitors – stay below patent for a number of extra years. Consequently, these medication stay very pricey even for individuals with insurance coverage protection.
The primary generic GLP-1 is a significant milestone in bettering entry to diabetes medication. With the launch of extra Victoza generics in 2025 and past, costs ought to proceed to fall even additional, serving to extra individuals to entry these necessary medicines.
