Unable to scale up its manufacturing fast enough to meet the spiraling demand for its GLP-1 weight loss products, Novo Nordisk is employing a new strategy reducing production of diabetes drug Victoza to make more Ozempic.
Novo and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) divulged (PDF) the move in a letter to healthcare professionals, warning of a growing shortage of both medicines that is set to intensify during the rest of the fourth quarter.
With the shortage of Victoza expected to continue into the second quarter of next year, the EMA has instructed healthcare providers not to start new patients on the drug until then. While Victoza (liraglutide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) are both GLP-1 drugs, the former—which was originally approved in 2010—is not used for weight loss.
Intermittent shortages of Ozempic are expected to persist throughout 2024, though the overall supply situation should improve in the first quarter of next year, according to the letter. Novo Nordisk will limit the supply of starter doses of Ozempic (0.25 mg) to help curb the initiation of new patients, the company said. During this period, the EMA has also recommended that doctors “limit” new users.
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