Compounded Ozempic

A new threat to Ozempic and Wegovy emerges…

Kieran Ryan
August 05, 2024

Good morning, Nerders. It’s Monday, August 5th. In today’s newsletter, we cover:

A new threat to Ozempic and Wegovy emerges
U.S. airline stocks lag behind the S&P 500
Biden’s 5% cap on rent hikes

TODAY’S STORY

There’s a new threat to the Ozempic monopoly: compounders.

Compounders, typically pharmacies and medical spas, take semaglutide, the active ingredient in popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, and combine, mix, and alter the ingredients to create a medication tailored to their patient's needs.

Although semaglutide is under patent by Novo Nordisk, the company behind Ozempic and Wegovy, compounding is entirely legal and even encouraged by the FDA.

Is it a serious threat to big pharma? Industry officials estimate that 2 million Americans are receiving regular doses of semaglutide from compounders, while 15.5 million Americans have tried weight-loss drugs altogether.

The decision largely comes down to cost. Patients pay about $100–$450 monthly for compounded semaglutide, compared with list prices of roughly $1,000-$1,400 for Nordisk products.

DATA BYTES

Americans are flying in record numbers, but airline stocks are lagging behind the S&P 500 since rising costs (fuel, labor, and airport costs) are cutting into their profit margins
Not pictured, low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier have been hit the hardest, down (83.2%) and (36.2%) YTD, respectively

OUR PICKS

Here are today’s recs to help you live a smarter life…

1. Focus on.

Clear away the noisy distractions of the world so you can focus on what matters most with these quiet-comfort headphones. $100 off for a limited time.*

2. Sweat the smart way.

The health & fitness tracker that helps you do what you love and feel your best. All you have to do is wear it.*

3. Add this to your summer reading list.

This fast-paced read has everything you want in a thriller: secret identities, a mysterious boss, and a cat & mouse game that will keep you guessing the whole way through.*

#SHORTS

Biden’s 5% cap on rent hikes

@boringbusinesskieran
Biden’s 5% cap on rent hikes // Make sure to follow me to keep up with the latest business stories and trends~ #business #realestate #rent #economy

Watch on: TikTok, YouTube, Instagram

PREVIOUS STORIES

Potato Chip Prices — Is $6 for a bag of potato chips enough?
Airbnb’s Olympic Strategy — How Airbnb is using Olympic demand to draw in new hosts.
Tesla’s Cybertrucks — A marketing marvel or a financial flop?
AmEx doubles down on dinner reservations — AmEx’s $400 million acquisition of Tock highlights the importance of the culinary world to its cardholders.
McDonald’s $5 Meal Deal — Fast food chains are offering new deals to attract budget-strapped diners.

To read the web version of previous stories, click here

If you have any comments or feedback, just respond to this email.

Thanks for reading,
Kieran & Justin Ryan