A view of a plastic mannequin of a abdomen throughout an interview with Physician Thomas Horbach, specialist in surgical procedure, visceral surgical procedure and dietary medication on Novo Nordisk, which can begin promoting its vastly well-liked weight problems drug Wegovy in Germany later this month, in Munich, Germany, July 17, 2023.
Christine Uyanik | Reuters
Drugmakers spent practically $500 million on ads for weight problems and diabetes therapies within the U.S. throughout the first seven months of this 12 months, up 20% from the identical interval a 12 months in the past, in keeping with new knowledge launched Friday.
The info, from promoting analytics agency MediaRadar, demonstrates the frenzy by corporations to seize new prospects after months of hype round Novo Nordisk‘s diabetes drug Ozempic and weight reduction counterpart Wegovy.
These medicine and comparable therapies have soared in demand this 12 months for his or her potential to assist sufferers lose undesirable kilos. The medicines, often known as GLP-1s, mimic a hormone produced within the intestine to suppress an individual’s urge for food.
U.S. health-care suppliers wrote greater than 9 million prescriptions for Ozempic, Wegovy, and different weight problems and diabetes medicine over the past three months of 2022, up 300% from early 2020.
MediaRadar compiled advert spending from nationwide TV broadcasts, print publications, newspapers and web sites, and social media platforms from Jan. 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023.
The highest 4 medicine marketed have been Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, Wegovy and diabetes tablet Rybelsus and Boehringer Ingelheim’s personal diabetes remedy Jardiance, which is about to face drug value negotiations with the federal Medicare program.
Collectively, these therapies accounted for $358 million, or about three-quarters, of complete advert spending for weight problems and diabetes medicine throughout the first seven months of this 12 months, in keeping with the info.
Spending on Ozempic adverts was $120 million throughout that point interval, up 23% from the identical interval final 12 months.
MediaRadar stated in an announcement that Ozempic’s rise in recognition has had a “optimistic impression on comparable medicines.”
“It is a traditional case of ‘a rising tide lifts all boats,'” MediaRadar CEO Todd Krizelman stated within the assertion. “As Ozempic’s recognition grows, so does the demand for different weight reduction and diabetes medicine, particularly Wegovy, which has made a big mark this 12 months, notably from Q2 onwards.”
Wegovy accounted for greater than $20 million in advert spending throughout the first seven months of the 12 months, primarily because of a spike in spending from April to July, in keeping with MediaRadar.
However MediaRadar famous that Novo Nordisk in Could paused some key promotional promoting for Wegovy, particularly native and nationwide TV promoting.
MediaRadar stated many of the spending on the drug was for digital promoting, similar to on-line video.
