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Novo Nordisk has halved the US price for Ozempic for people who cannot access it on health insurance and offered it for home delivery as the Trump administration pushes for lower drug prices and more direct sales.
Shares in the Danish pharma group rose 5 per cent after the company said it would cut the cost of a month’s supply of its blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drug to $499 a month. Ozempic previously cost about $1,000 in the US for people without health insurance.
Novo and its main rival in the obesity market, Eli Lilly of the US, have lost $252bn in market value this year on worries about American tariffs and price controls.
Novo’s decision is a win for President Donald Trump, who has criticised pharmaceutical companies for high drug prices in the US. Novo’s pharmacy division, NovoCare, will offer Ozempic for home delivery for the first time. Direct-to-consumer drug sales have been a priority for the White House.
In March, Novo dropped the price for its other weight-loss drug Wegovy to $499. Ozempic is primarily used to treat diabetes but is also effective for weight loss.
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