The GLP-1 market is on an unsustainable trajectory

Access, affordability and safety are all seeing meaningful challenges.

Smiling woman

Understanding GLP-1s

First approved for the treatment of diabetes1, more recent clinical trials show injectable GLP-1 agonists help patients achieve weight loss of up to 12-18%—proving more effective than any existing medications.2

As we continue to see added indications such as weight loss, sleep apnea3, reduction in the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke4,  and expect more indication approvals on the way demand for GLP-1 medications will continue to increase exponentially.

A man speaking with his health care provider, who is showing him something on her tablet

By 2030, almost 10% of the U.S. population will use GLP-1 medications, which may account for 10-20% of total drug spend.5

According to a recent KFF Health poll, one in eight adults have taken a GLP-1 agonist for weight loss.6

Supply shortages and high list prices for this powerful class of drugs, called GLP-1 agonists, have left many people who are suffering from diabetes and obesity without the medicines they need to stay healthy.7

Recognizing increasing demand for GLP-1s

This incredible rise in demand is creating affordability challenges that are making it difficult—if not impossible—to access for many people who could benefit most from GLP-1s.

Article

An array of obstacles makes it difficult for patients to obtain Wegovy or Zepbound. Finding Wegovy is “like winning the lottery,” one nurse practitioner said.

Six Reasons Why It’s So Hard to Get Your Weight-Loss Drugs

GLP-1 utilization

J.P. Morgan Research forecasts that the GLP-1 market will exceed $100B by 2030, driven equally by diabetes and obesity usage.5 However, based on Express Scripts book of business data and utilization trends, the market is on track to surpass that threshold as early as 2025, not 2030.8

And then there’s the hundred-billion dollar question: can the pharmacy supply chain afford to cover, stock and dispense GLP-1s? New pricing models are taking shape, and those may offer a solution.

Two pharmacists are selecting medications from a row of shelves

“The contracts for 2025 account for about one-third of Walgreens’ reimbursement agreements with payers. Many of them equalize payment for brand and generic drugs and create new payment categories for high-cost drugs, reversing “massively insufficient” payment in the past for pricey medications like GLP-1s.”

Tim Wentworth 
CEO, Walgreens

We are continually working to help you manage complex challenges such as the dynamic GLP-1 landscape.

Three people huddled around a laptop computer

Simply put: the current GLP-1 market is unsustainable.

Evernorth is committed to driving real change to ensure those who need these medications can access them—at a price that is sustainable for everyone. Bookmark this GLP-1 Insights Hub as we will regularly refresh it with key updates and insights from industry experts.

Sources

  1. Sheahan KH, Wahlberg EA, Gilbert MP. An overview of GLP-1 agonists and recent cardiovascular outcomes trials. Postgrad Med J. 2020 Mar;96(1133):156-161. doi: 10.1136/ postgradmedj-2019-137186. Epub 2019 Dec 4. PMID: 31801807; PMCID: PMC7042958.
  2. Mozaffarian D. GLP-1 Agonists for Obesity-A New Recipe for Success? JAMA. 2024;331(12):1007-1008. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.2252
  3. FDA Approves First Medication for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, December 20, 2024 Press Announcement
  4. FDA Approves First Treatment to Reduce Risk of Serious Heart Problems Specifically in Adults with Obesity or Overweight, March 08, 2024 Press Announcement
  5. J.P. Morgan Global Research
  6. KFF Health Tracking Poll May 2024: The Public's Use and Views of GLP-1 Drugs
  7. High Price of Popular Diabetes Drugs Deprives Low-Income People of Effective Treatment
  8. Evernorth Book of Business data, 2024
  9. National Community Pharmacists Association.