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Boxes of Ozempic and Wegovy made by Novo Nordisk are seen at a pharmacy in London, Britain March 8, 2024. Hollie Adams | Reuters

Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Jorgensen testifies before a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on U.S. prices for the weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 24, 2024. Piroschka Van De Wouw | Reuters

While Jørgensen did not commit to lowering prices of Wegovy and Ozempic, he vowed to "collaborate" with pharmacy benefit managers "on anything that helps patients get access and affordability." He also pushed back on Medicare price negotiations when asked about the potential selection of Wegovy and Ozempic, calling the talks "price-setting" that will have negative consequences for drug innovation. Medicare Part D doesn't cover weight loss treatments unless they are approved and prescribed for another health condition. But Wegovy could make the list for negotiations because it is now approved to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular complications, making it likely that some Part D plans have started covering the treatment, according to the researchers. Under CMS guidance, drugs must be on the market for at least seven years without generic competitors before Medicare can select them for price talks. Semaglutide will have been on the market for seven years and one month by February and does not have any generic equivalents. Other researchers and Wall Street analysts have said they expect Ozempic to be subject to negotiations because of how much Medicare Part D spends on the treatment. The program spent more than $5.6 billion on semaglutide drugs in 2022, which only reflects spending on Ozempic and Rybelsus since Wegovy was not covered at the time, the paper said. Researchers also projected that Medicare Part D spent nearly $7.5 billion on Ozempic and Rybelsus in 2023, which is $3 billion higher than spending for the second-highest eligible drug. They noted they likely "underestimated" their projected spending figures for semaglutide The other drugs expected to be subject to price talks include GSK 's Trelegy Ellipta, a prescription inhaler used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and Xtandi, a rheumatoid arthritis medication from Astellas Pharma. Still, researchers said the final list of drugs selected will depend on whether generic versions launch before February. We'll be following the next round of Medicare drug price negotiations closely, so stay tuned for our coverage. Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Annika at annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com.

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