Study Finds Over a Third of Wegovy Pill Users Are New to GLP-1 Drugs

• Among patients starting the new pill, 21.1% had previously used injectable Wegovy and 15.8% switched from Eli Lilly's Zepbound injectable
• The oral pill formulation appears to be attracting a significant portion of first-time GLP-1 users, potentially expanding the overall market for these weight-loss medications
• Truveta's analysis was based on 8,762 patient health records following the FDA's December 22 approval of the oral Wegovy formulation

Summary: Study Finds Over a Third of Wegovy Pill Users Are New to GLP-1 Drugs

A recent study by health data firm Truveta reveals that 36% of early users of Novo Nordisk's newly approved Wegovy weight-loss pill had no previous experience with GLP-1 medications, indicating significant market expansion beyond existing users.

Key Findings:

The analysis examined health records from 8,762 patients who received prescriptions for the Wegovy pill following its FDA approval on December 22. Among those starting the new pill formulation:

• 36% were completely new to GLP-1 drugs
• 21.1% had previously used injectable Wegovy
• 15.8% switched from Eli Lilly's Zepbound, a competing injectable GLP-1 medication

Market Implications:

The substantial proportion of first-time GLP-1 users suggests the oral formulation is attracting patients who may have been hesitant to use injectable versions, potentially expanding the addressable market for these weight-loss medications. This represents a competitive advantage for Novo Nordisk in capturing new market share.

The data also indicates patient migration between competing products, with nearly 16% switching from Eli Lilly's Zepbound, highlighting the competitive dynamics in the rapidly growing GLP-1 weight-loss drug market.

Companies Impacted:

• Novo Nordisk: Benefits from both market expansion and competitive switching
• Eli Lilly: Faces potential share loss to the new oral alternative

The pill format appears to be successfully lowering barriers to entry for weight-loss treatment, which could accelerate overall market growth for GLP-1 medications while intensifying competition between the two pharmaceutical giants dominating this lucrative sector.