(Reuters) – Novo Nordisk has launched its wildly popular weight-loss drug Wegovy in eight countries since 2021 at prices ranging from $200 to almost $2,000 a month as Eli Lilly starts selling its rival drug in Europe and the United States.
The Danish drugmaker is working to convince European governments and insurers to reimburse the drug, seeking to position it as more than a lifestyle drug.
It says its factories are running 24 hours per day but it has struggled to keep up with demand.
The weekly injections start at 0.25 milligrams of active ingredient semaglutide and gradually increase to the maintenance dose of 2.4 mg.
Below are the countries where Wegovy has been launched in date order and prices are for a four-week maintenance dose:
UNITED STATES
Wegovy was launched in the U.S. in June 2021 but it took Novo until December 2022 to make all doses available there because of an initial production problem.
The list price of four-week treatment is about $1,350, regardless of dosage, not taking any coupons and rebates into account.
DENMARK
Wegovy was made available in all dose strengths in Denmark in early 2023. A four-week supply costs 2,370.60 Danish crowns ($343).
The public health care system does not reimburse weight-loss drugs and the country’s largest private health insurer, which covers roughly half the population, stopped reimbursing it this month due to high demand.
The government said reimbursing Wegovy would cost the state as much as $4 billion each year.
NORWAY
Wegovy was launched in all dose strengths in early 2023 at a cost of 2,775.30 Norwegian crowns ($265).
The Norwegian Medicines Agency said in January 2023 it would not subsidise the drug, saying the price would be too high in relation to the documented health effects.
GERMANY
Wegovy debuted in its first major European market in late July, priced at 301.91 euros ($326).
The drug will not be reimbursed for about 90% of Germans covered by public health insurance plans, under a law that bans them from covering weight-loss drugs.
For the 10% with private health insurance, coverage varies. Insurer Allianz has said it would pay if the patient has a medical need, while rival Debeka said its plans excluded weight-loss treatments.
BRITAIN
Wegovy was made available in Europe’s most obese nation on Sept. 4, in what Novo called a “controlled and limited launch”.
The company has not published the price of the drug which is available for free within the National Health Service’s weight management scheme and for payment on the private market.
Simple Online Pharmacy, a UK-based online pharmacy chain, said it would sell Wegovy in the range of 199-299 pounds ($252-379), including a consultation with a general practitioner, prescription and dispensing costs.
ICELAND
Novo launched Wegovy in Iceland on Oct. 2.
Icelandic Medicines Agency said in November that co-payment could be granted for obese patients with a weight-related co-morbidity.
SWITZERLAND
Novo launched Wegovy in Switzerland on Nov. 7, where residents are required to have private health insurance, at a monthly cost of 835 Swiss francs ($966).
The government does not require insurers to pay for the drug.
Three major private insurance companies — Sanitas, Helsana, and Groupe Mutuel — said they will not cover it because it is not on the government’s compulsory list.
Groupe Mutuel said that it covers Wegovy for adults and adolescents who have its premium insurance plan.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)
Novo introduced Wegovy to the UAE on Nov. 20 at a monthly cost of 6,848 AED ($1,864).
The UAE, which offers free public health care to its citizens, has not said if it will pay for it. Expatriates must pay for private insurance.
PLANNED LAUNCHES:
JAPAN
Novo will launch Wegovy in its first Asian country on Feb. 22, with most patients paying 30% of medical expenses, in line with reimbursement for other drugs.
The monthly cost for patients will be 42,960 yen ($290).
SOURCE: Novo Nordisk unless specified otherwise
($1 = 6.8988 Danish crowns)
($1 = 10.4490 Norwegian crowns)
($1 = 0.9255 euros)
($1 = 0.7886 pounds)
($1 = 147.7300 yen)
($1 = 0.8635 Swiss francs)
($1 = 3.6724 UAE dirham)
(Compiled by Agata Rybska and Elviira Luoma in Gdansk; Reporting by Maggie Fick in London, John Revill in Zurich and Alexander Cornwell in Dubai; Editing by Milla Nissi, Josephine Mason and Ed Osmond)
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