European shortages of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic to continue through Q4

Investing.com — The European market is facing shortages of Novo Nordisk’s  (NYSE:NVO) injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), Ozempic, a critical medication for managing type 2 diabetes, said the European Medicines Agency in a statement. 

These shortages are expected to persist throughout the fourth quarter of 2024, making it difficult for healthcare providers and patients relying on this treatment. 

The ongoing supply constraints stem from increased global demand coupled with capacity limitations at Novo Nordisk’s manufacturing sites.

As of now, the supply of Ozempic, particularly the lower strengths of 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg, has worsened, with intermittent shortages expected for all dosage strengths through the fourth quarter. 

This disruption has led to out-of-stock situations across various regions, putting additional strain on the healthcare systems that rely on consistent supply for managing type 2 diabetes in patients.

“It is therefore recommended to continue limiting treatment initiation of new patients on Ozempic until the supply situation improves; this is expected in September 2024,” the European Medicines Agency said in a statement. 

Existing patients should continue their treatment without interruption where possible. If Ozempic is unavailable, it is recommended that patients be transitioned safely to another injectable GLP-1 RA or a suitable alternative based on clinical judgment and local guidelines.

To mitigate the impact of the Ozempic shortage, Novo Nordisk temporarily reduced the supply of another GLP-1 RA, Victoza (once daily), in the fourth quarter of 2023. 

This decision was made to boost the production and availability of Ozempic, which is administered once weekly, thereby optimizing the use of the company’s production capacity. 

While this measure has allowed for a greater number of patients to continue their treatment, it has also led to intermittent shortages of Victoza in some countries.

Although the supply of Victoza has improved across the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries since the first quarter of 2024, healthcare providers are cautioned against starting new patients on Victoza.