Over the past few weeks, glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (GLP-1) drug manufacturers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have been sending cease and desist notices to providers that are still advertising generic, compounded versions of their brand name diabetes and weight loss drugs. A shortage of GLP-1 drugs temporarily allowed compounding pharmacies to produce their own versions, but now with the shortage over, the pharmacies must stop and return to filling prescriptions with the manufacturers’ branded products. Additionally, last week, a federal court dismissed an assertion from several pharmacies that believed they should be able to continue to produce their compounded GLP-1s nonetheless. The friction has become so intense that Eli Lilly is suing 4 telehealth companies, alleging they are misleading consumers and illegally prescribing the compounded drugs. Also in recent weeks, the Food and Drug Administration seized counterfeit GLP-1 products from the U.S. supply chain, causing further concern for consumers who might be looking online for diabetes and weight loss drugs.
Market moves: Last year, Eli Lilly launched its own digital platform that connects patients to third-party telehealth companies—including Amazon—that can prescribe select Eli Lilly drugs as well as offer home delivery. Similarly, Novo Nordisk announced a partnership with the telehealth company Hims & Hers this week to prescribe the company’s GLP-1. Hims & Hers was among the compounders previously supplying GLP-1s to patients that had to cease production after the shortage ended. Telehealth providers Ro and LifeMD are also part of the mix. The market is witnessing new, creative ways that healthcare companies can leverage digital health channels. Find out more about the GLP-1 product shift from the JUCM archive: Urgent Care Weight Loss Programs And GLP-1 Costs