Senator Bernie Sanders expressed confidence that Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) can be persuaded to reduce the U.S. prices of its popular weight-loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy, by publicly highlighting the disparity between domestic and international pricing.
Sanders, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), plans to question Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Jorgensen during a September hearing focused on these drugs' U.S. prices.
Related: Only 25% Patients Stick With Novo Nordisk's Wegovy Or Ozempic After 2 Years, A Study Shows; Company Calls Data Insufficient.
The Vermont senator's strategy proved effective last year when he pressured Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE:LLY), and Sanofi SA (NASDAQ:SNY) to lower insulin prices.
"I think we got a real shot, and I was pleased to see President Biden supporting that effort," Sanders told Reuters in a phone interview.
A Novo Nordisk spokesperson told Reuters that the net prices of both drugs have dropped by 40% since their launch, attributing the lack of consumer savings to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
Sanders criticized this reduction as insufficient. PBMs, acting as intermediaries between drug companies and consumers, are often blamed for high drug prices. Despite this, more than 80% of insured Americans pay $25 or less per month for these drugs.
However, Sanders argued that high insurance costs, driven by the prices paid by insurers, ultimately affect all consumers.
Sanders aims to reduce the U.S. price of Ozempic to approximately $155, which is comparable to its cost in Canada.
A month's supply of Ozempic lists for $935.77 in the U.S., while Wegovy costs $1,349.02 monthly.
Sanders acknowledged his current focus on Novo Nordisk due to its drugs' projected profitability but stated he would soon address Eli Lilly's prices for its rival drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound. He described these prices as "outrageous."
Sanders also intends to scrutinize PBMs, which dictate drug coverage and pricing. However, he emphasized that drugmakers cannot solely blame PBMs for high costs, asserting, "To say that PBMs play a negative role is true, but notwithstanding that ... (the drug companies) are still ripping off the American people."
Sanders criticized Novo Nordisk for not engaging constructively with the Senate committee, noting the company only agreed to have its CEO testify after a subpoena threat.
Price Action: NVO shares are down 2.57% at $139.08 at the last check on Thursday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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參議員伯尼·桑德斯表示，通過公開突顯國內和國際價格差異，諾和諾德公司（NYSE:NVO）可以被說服降低其主流幣減肥藥——歐秦匹克和維戈維在美國的價格。
桑德斯是參議院衛生、教育、勞工和養老金委員會（HELP）的主席，計劃在9月的一次關注這些藥物在美國價格的聽證會上質詢諾和諾德公司CEO拉爾斯·約爾根森。
相關:研究顯示，只有25%的患者在服用了諾和諾德公司的維戈維或歐秦匹克兩年後繼續使用；公司稱數據不足。
這位佛蒙特州參議員的策略去年曾證明有效，當時他施壓諾和諾德公司、禮來和賽諾菲安萬特降低胰島素價格。
桑德斯在接受路透電話採訪時表示:“我認爲我們有真正的機會，我很高興看到拜登總統支持這一努力。”
諾和諾德公司的一位發言人告訴路透社，這兩種藥的淨價格自發布以來已經下降了40%，將消費者的節省歸咎於藥房福利經理（PBMs）。
桑德斯批評了這種降價的效果不夠。PBMs作爲藥企和消費者之間的中間人，經常被指責高價藥品的罪魁禍首。儘管如此，超過80%的美國參保人員每月僅需支付這些藥物不到25美元的費用。
然而，桑德斯認爲由保險公司支付的高昂價格最終會影響到所有消費者。
桑德斯的目標是將歐秦匹克的美國價格降至約155美元左右，這與其在加拿大的成本相當。
在美國，歐秦匹克一個月的供應價值爲935.77美元，而維戈維的費用則爲每月1349.02美元。
桑德斯承認他目前專注於諾和諾德公司，因爲其藥品的預計盈利能力，但表示他將很快解決禮來的競爭藥物Mounjaro和Zepbound的價格問題。他稱這些價格爲“令人震驚的”。
桑德斯還打算審查PBMs，這些公司確定藥品的覆蓋範圍和價格。但他強調，藥企不能僅僅歸咎於PBMs導致高昂的藥價，聲稱，“說PBMs發揮了負面作用是對的，但儘管如此……（藥企）仍在敲詐美國人民。”
桑德斯批評諾和諾德公司未與參議院委員會進行建設性對話，並指出該公司只在威脅傳票後同意其CEO作證。
股價動態：截至週四，NVO股價下跌2.57%至139.08美元。
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