2024-10-08 15:03:47
Already marketed in 15 countries, this treatment is now available in French pharmacies. For the moment without reimbursement from the health insurance.
Dressed in bright colors and a flattering skirt, an overweight young woman looks serenely into the reader’s eyes: “ I decided to take action for myself and my health. » In this advertisement published last week in the French press there is no mention of Wegovy, the anti-obesity drug from the Danish laboratory Novo Nordisk. And for good reason: such advertising would be banned in France. But it is precisely the logo of the Danish group decorated with a reindeer that appears at the bottom right of the image, next to a particularly appropriate message: ” Although society still has difficulty accepting it, obesity is a complex chronic disease. Talk to your doctor. »
This campaign owes nothing to chance. From Tuesday doctors can prescribe Wegovy to their patients, available in French pharmacies after being available in Germany, Spain, Switzerland, England and the United States. “ France is the sixteenth country in which we are launching this medicineexplains Étienne Tichit, general manager of Novo Nordisk in France. French patients now benefit from a new option to treat obesity, as well as improving their diet and increasing their physical activity. Three years ago there was still no cure. »
Spectacular effects
The effects of Wegovy are spectacular: taking this drug, available every week in the form of an injectable solution, causes an average weight loss of 15% after 68 weeks, notes the European Medicines Authority (EMA). In the United States, where one in eight people has already followed this treatment or another that works on the same principle, obesity seems to be starting flow back. These performances appeal not only to obese or overweight people, as demonstrated by the flood of publications on social networks – from ordinary people to Elon Musk – praising the effectiveness of Wegovy for losing a few kilos.
There is ” abuse » explains that the National Agency for Medicines Safety has decided to limit access to Wegovy in France to obese people with a body mass index greater than 35, on the prescription of a doctor specialized in endocrinology-diabetology-nutrition.
It is an understatement to say that Novo Nordisk’s medicine is in France” was eagerly awaited »observes Claudine Canal, patient council member of the League Against Obesity. At the pharmacy” requests on Wegovy are frequent », confirms Philippe Besset, president of the Federation of French Pharmaceutical Unions. “ In the absence of Wegovy in France, we even suspected that prescriptions were deviated from Ozempic », a drug from Novo Nordisk already available in France and containing the same active ingredient (semaglutide), but intended for people with type 2 diabetes.
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No refunds
Although it is predictable, the Wegovy will not be affordable for all budgets. As elsewhere in Europe, with the exception of Great Britain and Switzerland, it will not be reimbursed by Social Security, at least initially. Novo Nordisk provides a price between 9 euros and 12 euros per day, or between 270 and 360 euros per month, entirely paid by the patient. “ The most modest, who are also most affected by obesity, will not be able to benefit from it », deplores Anne-Sophie Joly, president of the National Collective of Obese Associations (CNAO).
Only the 7,000 patients treated for thirty months in hospital, in the early access exemption, will continue to benefit from support – from Novo Nordisk and not Social Security – until the end of January 2025.
However, all is not lost for other patients. In this horizon, Novo Nordisk hopes to obtain health insurance coverage. In December 2022, the Danish laboratory obtained a positive opinion for reimbursement from the Transparency Commission, on the condition that it provided new data demonstrating the effectiveness of Wegovy against cardiovascular diseases. Data provided in May: Wegovy reduces the risk of a serious cardiovascular accident by 20%.
Sufficient doses
The laboratory is no less lucid about the state of public finances and does not ask for reimbursement of treatment for all eligible patients. “ In France there are 2.5 million people whose body mass index is above 35observes Étienne Tichit. It is best to limit reimbursement to patients who need it most. This is the case for patients whose BMI is above 40, a criterion for benefiting from early access. »
The doses, however, should not be missing. In Germany, Wegovy’s launch was hampered by Novo Nordisk’s limited manufacturing capabilities. But since then, the Danish lab has invested heavily to produce more, for example by buying the factories of subcontractor Catalent for $11 billion. “ We will have sufficient doses to cover the needs of French patients », assures the general director of Novo Nordisk in France.
The success of Ozempic and Wegovy has pushed the Danish laboratory to the top of the stock market. Novo Nordisk has long been a specialist in diabetes care and also produces insulin. But his drug semaglutide caused him to change size. The group is today the largest European capitalisation, ahead of the luxury giant LVMH. With 525 billion dollars, it even exceeds the GDP of Denmark, which the laboratory helps to revive.
For now, Novo’s growth engine shows no signs of weakening. Sales of Ozempic and Wegovy continue to grow at a breakneck pace as the lab increases its manufacturing capabilities and markets its offerings in new countries.
In 2023, sales of drugs aimed at diabetics increased by 30%, driven by semaglutide. In this market “ Despite intensifying competition, Novo Nordisk remains the GLP-1 market leader, with a value market share of 54.8% % », the laboratory rejoiced at the beginning of the year. Sales of drugs intended to treat obesity increased by 154%, exceeding 5.3 billion euros.
But competitors are hot on the heels of the Danish pioneer. Its biggest rival remains the American Eli Lilly, which a year ago obtained authorization to place on the American market a Wegovy competitor that operates according to the same principle, Zepbound. Sales of this drug are already almost at the same level as those of Wegovy. Other laboratories are also sharpening their weapons, stimulated by the prospects of this market in the fight against obesity. Roche, AstraZeneca or Pfizer are each developing their own molecule. All we need to do is hope to lower the price of these treatments, to the benefit of patients and public finances.
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