Blocked From Selling Off-Brand Ozempic, Telehealth Startups Embrace a Less Effective Drug

After telehealth startups recently lost the ability to sell exact copies of patented GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, some firms have begun turning to a different, less effective medication that has been on the market in the United States since 2010. Often considered a precursor to blockbuster products like Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, liraglutide is becoming the new darling of online clinics offering prescription weight loss and diabetes meds—despite its relative old age. Originally sold by Novo Nordisk under the brand names Victroza and Saxenda, the drug has been available in generic form in the US since last year. Like Ozempic, liraglutide is a GLP-1 agonist that mimics a naturally occurring hormone and works by suppressing hunger cues and regulating insulin levels. But it doesn’t have the same name recognition or popularity as the newer GLP-1 drugs for a very simple reason: It doesn't work as well, can cause more severe side effects, and patients have to inject it dail ... Read full article.