FDA Resolves Long-Term Shortage of Novo Nordisk’s Popular Weight-loss and Diabetes Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy

Shortages of Ozempic and Wegovy, which have persisted for over two years, have finally been resolved, according to federal regulators. Supplies of these popular treatments for diabetes and obesity are now steadily improving.

The FDA announced that Novo Nordisk, the drugmaker, is now able to meet the current and future demand for these medications in the U.S. However, patients may still experience some disruptions in the supply chain as the drugs are transported from the manufacturer to distributors and then to pharmacies.

The injectable drugs have been in shortage since 2022.

In response to the shortage, compounding pharmacies and other authorized entities have been producing and distributing generic versions of these drugs. The FDA has now stated that these entities will need to gradually reduce their production over the next few months.

In December, the agency said the same thing when it declared that shortages had ended for Eli Lilly and Co.’s Zepbound and Mounjaro. Zepbound is approved to treat obesity and Mounjaro is approved for diabetes. They use the same active ingredient, tirzepatide.

Ozempic, for diabetes, and Wegovy, for weight loss, use the active ingredient semaglutide.

All four drugs are part of a GLP-1 class of treatments that has shown unprecedented results for helping people shed weight by decreasing appetite and boosting feelings of fullness.

Sales have soared for the drugs in recent years. But the shortages and challenges with insurance coverage have made it difficult for many patients to get the drugs.

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