Novo Nordisk's Canadian drug patent lapses, opening market for Hims & Her Health
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Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Ozempic Is Costing Grocery Stores Billions
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic and Mounjaro, are already costing grocery stores billions. According to a new report from Big Chalk Analytics, GLP-1 users have cut $6.5 billion from U.S. grocery spending, and the popularity of the weight loss and diabetes medications appears to only be growing. Why It Matters The use of weight-loss medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists has skyrocketed in recent years. Popular products include Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy and Zepound and have been key treatments for many Americans who are obese or have type 2 diabetes. While the full health effects of these drugs in the long term has not been studied, their prevalence has shown the potential to disrupt industries by lowering grocery and even restaurant profits in the long term. People shop at a grocery store in Brooklyn on May 13, 2025 in New York City. People shop at a grocery store in Brooklyn on May 13, 2025 in New York To Know While GLP-1 medications are already reportedly costing grocers $6.5 billion, the impact could be even costlier in the years to come as 8.3 percent of Americans are planning to start the medications, according to the new Big Chalk survey of more than 4,500 consumers. If this happens, the survey projects losses as much as an additional $4.4 to $10.8 billion. "The changes being seen in grocery stores are the result of people making better choices about food –less ultra-processed food and possibly less food overall," David Navazio, CEO of health care product company Gentell, told Newsweek. Several types of products have seen their purchase rates go down, from cereal and soft drinks to lunch meats. Currently, an estimated 11.2 percent of U.S. adults are on GLP-1 medications, but roughly 20 percent could soon be on the medication in just 12 months. "It's one of the fascinating business 'side effects' of medications like Ozempic that grocery stores are seeing a dip in business," Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek. "The idea is these medications suppress hunger, which is causing consumers to purchase food less. And while there is certainly some truth to this, it's too soon to call it a long-term trend. Financially, it can be seen as a good thing for money-strapped customers who can reduce their grocery bills along with their waistlines. Whether or not this economic impact is a lasting one remains to be seen." So far, the medications have triggered grocery volume losses of 1.2 to 2.9 percent, with dollar sales dropping between 0.9 and 2.3 percent, depending on the category, according to the report. GLP-1 users were 65 percent more likely to buy smaller packs of cereal and 48 percent more likely to purchase smaller packs of lunch meats. This extended to soft drinks as well, with those on the medication 36 percent more likely to opt for the smaller sizes. "The opportunity for grocery brands is twofold: A continued migration toward better-for-you products—plus an emphasis on smaller pack sizes—are ways CPG brands can adapt to these changing consumer demands for volume," Rick Miller, partner and marketing effectiveness practice lead at Big Chalk, told Newsweek. What People Are Saying Rick Miller, partner and marketing effectiveness practice lead at Big Chalk, said in a statement: "GLP-1s have crossed the household-penetration threshold where their impact on grocery volumes and dollar sales can no longer be ignored. We're past anecdotes. This is measurable, structural change. Brands and retailers must rethink assortment, pricing, and promotion for a shopper who is literally consuming less." David Navazio, CEO of health care product company Gentell, told Newsweek: "We will see changes in product selection as a result of the changes in people's buying habits, with an emphasis on whole foods, produce, lean meats." For grocery stores, it may take time to adapt. But the change is undoubtedly good for the country as a whole that our population is becoming healthier." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "Like anything else, this comes down to supply and demand. If grocery stores are seeing a drop in volume, the next step would usually be lower prices. That's not what we're seeing. Grocery prices were up another 0.3 percent in June, according to the latest CPI data. So if grocers are losing, I'm not quite sure who's winning yet." Drew Powers, the founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek: "At any given point in time, there is one part of the economy that is booming at the expense of another. This is just the normal oscillation around economic equilibrium. In very general terms, being less obese is healthier, and I think it is a good thing overall to having a healthier population. Grocery stores will slowly adapt to new eating and shopping habits, which will have knockoff effects in other sectors, while some parts of the economy will see increased spending that can be attributed to GLP-1 use." What Happens Next Beyond the economic impacts, the long-term implications of GLP-1 medications on health are still being studied. A recent study discovered a new link between taking GLP-1 drugs and elevated risk of pancreatitis and kidney conditions, including kidney stones. GLP-1 medications are also tied to a higher risk of digestive problems, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and even stomach paralysis in rare cases. For the business economics of grocers reacting to the uptick in GLP-1 usage, prices have not adequately shifted yet, Thompson said. "America has an obesity problem. If these drugs are helping people eat less and live healthier lives, that's a net positive," Thompson said. "But in a capitalist economy—if Adam Smith's invisible hand is really at work—we should be seeing food prices and health care costs fall also. That's not happening. Health care continues to rise at an alarming rate, and food prices are still climbing. Long term, we might expect some price relief, but we're not there yet."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Cheaper generic Ozempic is coming to Canada after Novo Nordisk fails to pay patent fee
In what Science magazine has dubbed 'Novo Nordisk's Canadian Mistake,' Ozempic is soon to come off patent in Canada, opening the door to cheaper generic copycats, after the drug giant reportedly failed to pay a few hundred dollars in annual fees to maintain the patent rights before the weight-loss drug became a blockbuster seller. As Science reported, a patent, once lapsed, can't be restored. Novo Nordisk will continue to hold its U.S. patent until 2032. Ozempic was already the third most prescribed drug in Canada last year with 7,390,000 prescriptions dispensed, a 17 per cent increase over 2023, according to drug analytics research firm IQVIA. Several applications for generic semaglutide, the active compound in Novo Nordisk's injectable drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, are now before Health Canada. Last week, a U.S. telehealth service announced plans to expand into Canada next year and offer generic semaglutide at a significant discount. Richard Saynor, the head of Sandoz, a global leader in generic and biosimilar drugs, told Endpoint News in June that his company has filed for approval for a generic semaglutide in Canada once Novo Nordisk's patent exclusivity expires 'sometime in Q1 next year.' Canada is the globe's second-biggest semaglutide market, Saynor told Endpoint News. 'You gotta ask why. I don't think Canadians are disproportionately large. There's clearly a dynamic, like insulin, with cross-border business,' he said. Americans with diabetes have crossed into Canada to buy insulin at much lower prices. Ozempic and Wegovy cost about $5,000 per year. If money is no longer a factor, if chemically-identical drugs are cheaper and more affordable, 'that's going to change the calculus for many people,' said Justin Lehmiller, a senior research fellow at Indiana University's Kinsey Institute and co-author of a new survey exploring the impact that weight-loss drugs — formally known as GLP-1 agonists — are having on dating and intimacy. The survey of 2,000 single Americans (aged 18 to 91) led by Kinsey with found eight per cent reported having used a GLP-1 medication for weight loss in the past year. Among the GLP-1 users, 16 per cent said exes had reached out to reconnect, 14 per cent said they were getting more matches on dating apps and 12 per cent said they were going on more dates. The drugs seemed to be doing more to booster 'online dating success' for men than for women, the researchers said. 'Some of the studies and research that I've seen suggest that men only match one in 100 times on dating apps where for women, it's more like one in 10,' Lehmiller said. 'An attractiveness boost for men, which often accompanies using these drugs, could translate into a much bigger impact for them in the world of dating.' Men, however, were nearly twice as likely to women to say they feared being judged or shamed for taking Ozempic or other GLP-1 drugs. 'There are some masculinity concerns that are tied up in this,' said Lehmiller, a social psychologist. Men might worry about being accused of cheating, he said. 'It might be viewed as a sign of weakness for turning to a drug as opposed to losing weight through 'hard work.'' About half of the GLP-1 users also said the medications impact their sex lives, in both positive and negative ways: 18 per cent said their sexual desire increased, while 16 per cent said it dropped. Sixteen per cent said their sexual function improved; 12 per cent said it worsened. It's a nuanced picture, Lehmiller said. 'These drugs seem to be affecting different people in different ways.' 'And I think that makes sense: There is a lot of variability in the side effects people experience on these drugs.' More side effects might mean more negative impact on intimacy, he said. The drugs have also been associated with a slightly higher risk of erectile dysfunction and testosterone deficiency in men taking semaglutide for obesity compared to men not taking the drug. About one in five in the dating survey said the drugs are creating more stigma against being overweight. 'Changing standards of attractiveness might be creating more pressure for people to look a certain way or use these medications,' Lehmiller said. A study published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found 32.7 per cent of adults in Canada (10.6 million people) were obese in 2023, an eight per cent jump over 2009. Generic semaglutide won't be as cheap as Aspirin. 'It's still going to be a cost,' said Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, an endocrinologist and professor in McMaster University's department of medicine. 'And that does not relieve a responsible health practitioner of assessing a patient before they prescribe the medication,' he said. 'Is it possible that more people would be willing to pay out of pocket if they don't have insurance coverage for the drug? Sure, if it's cheaper,' Gerstein said. 'There may be more demand for it. People need to understand the risks and benefits.' Taken once a week by injection, Ozempic and Wegovy work by mimicking a hormone — glucagon-like peptide-1 — the small intestine releases when people eat. GLP-1 tricks the body into thinking it's full. It works on the brain to reduce appetite and interest in continuing to eat, and works on the stomach to slow how fast it empties so that food lingers in the stomach longer. Semaglutide has been studied extensively, Gerstein said. The amount of weight lost is related to the dosage: the higher the dose, the more weight dropped. In people with type 2 diabetes, the drug can reduce the need for insulin, or the dosage. 'But most importantly these drugs unequivocally reduce the future risk of serious health outcomes, including heart attacks, strokes, death from cardiovascular causes' and heart failure symptoms when used long-term, 'in the two- to five-year window of time,' Gerstein said. A major analysis published earlier this year based on health data from more than two million Americans veterans with diabetes found that, compared to more traditional drugs, GLP-1 use was associated with a reduced risk of substance use (alcohol, cannabis, stimulants and opioids), psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, seizures, several respiratory conditions and neurocognitive diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. The magnitude of the associated benefits — about a 10 to 20 per cent reduction for most outcomes — was modest, according to a background release, though the researchers said they don't 'negate' the potential value of the drugs. There were, however, several drawbacks, including an increased risk of gastrointestinal disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), low blood pressure, fainting, arthritic disorders, kidney disorders and drug-induced pancreatitis associated with GLP-1 drugs compared to usual care. Nothing is guaranteed, Gerstein said. 'I always tell patients we don't know exactly what it'll do in you. And weight loss, if it's going to happen, usually takes a month or two to start' and plateaus at around eight months. People don't lose weight indefinitely. 'There's definitely a plateau. You do not keep losing weight,' he said. The drugs yield an average weight loss of around 15 per cent, and weight can also rebound rapidly once the drugs are stopped. Ozempic has been approved in Canada for diabetes but is often used 'off label' for obesity. Wegovy has been approved for obesity. In an email to National Post, Novo Nordisk, the only current company in Canada with Health Canada-approved products containing semaglutide, said 'all intellectual property decisions are carefully considered at a global level. 'Periods of exclusivity for pharmaceutical products end as part of their normal lifecycle and generic treatments may become available over time,' the company said. 'Currently, no Health Canada-approved generic versions of semaglutide exist and we cannot speculate on other manufacturers' plans,' it added. National Post Ozempic for kids? Doctors are being encouraged to offer weight-loss drugs to Canadian teens 'It's not going away': How weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are changing the food industry Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here.
The Hill
4 hours ago
- The Hill
Weight loss drugs may lower risk of dementia, stroke: Study
Some popular weight loss drugs may lower the risk of dementia and stroke for patients with Type 2 diabetes and obesity, new research published in JAMA Network suggests. Patients taking semaglutide or tirzepatide medications — active ingredients in weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy — showed a lower risk of developing certain diseases compared to those taking other, similar medications. Those include neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Alzheimer's, and cerebrovascular disease, which manifests in strokes, brain aneurysms and more. Researchers analyzed the health developments over seven years in 60,000 adults aged 40 or older diagnosed with both Type 2 diabetes and obesity, as recorded by the TriNetX U.S. network. The patients were all users of semaglutide, tirzepatide or other GLP-1 anti-diabetes drugs from December 2017 through June 2024. The effects were most prominent among women, patients older than 60 and those with a body mass index of 30 to 40. Researchers acknowledged more clinical trials are needed to corroborate their initial findings, but they maintained the data 'represents one of the most recent clinical database–driven analyses to investigate the neuroprotective and cerebrovascular associations of newer GLP-1RAs' for some patients.
