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Monitoring report: GLP-1 RA prescribing trends

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Authors: Samuel Gratzl, PhD ⊕Truveta, Inc, Bellevue, WA, Patricia J. Rodriguez, PhD MPH ⊕Truveta, Inc, Bellevue, WA, Brianna M. Goodwin Cartwright ⊕Truveta, Inc, Bellevue, WA, Charlotte Baker, DrPH MPH  ⊕Truveta, Inc, Bellevue, WA , Duy Do, PhD ⊕Truveta, Inc, Bellevue, WA, Nicholas L. Stucky, MD PhD ⊕Truveta, Inc, Bellevue, WA
Date: October 11, 2024

Abstract

Background

Limited recent data exist on prescribing patterns and patient characteristics for glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), an important drug class used as anti-diabetic medication (ADM) for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and/or anti-obesity medication (AOM) in patients with overweight or obesity.

For brevity, we use the term GLP-1 RA to refer to both GLP-1 RA and dual GLP-1 RA/GIP medications.

Objective

To describe recent trends in prescribing and dispensing of GLP-1-based medications in the US.

Cumulative rate of GLP-1 RA medication prescriptions over time including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Trulicity and others using EHR data
Methods

Using a subset of real-world electronic health record (EHR) data from Truveta, a growing collective of health systems that provide more than 18% of all daily clinical care in the US, we identified patients who were prescribed a GLP-1-based medication between January 01, 2018 and September 30, 2024. We describe prescribing volumes and patient characteristics over time, by medication, and by FDA-labeled use. Among the subset of patients for whom post-prescription dispensing data are available, we describe the proportion and characteristics of patients who were and were not dispensed a GLP-1 RA following their prescription.

Results

The study found that 1,449,442 patients were prescribed a GLP-1 RA between January 2018 and September 2024, with 6,341,367 total prescriptions during this period. Overall prescribing rates (GLP-1 RA prescriptions per total prescriptions) in September 2024 increased relative to June 2024 (+12.0%). Despite some fluctuation month over month, ADM prescribing trends in September 2024 are about the same as in June 2024 (+4.0%). Semaglutide remains the most prescribed ADM medication, and tirzepatide continues to be the second-most prescribed medication (it surpassed dulaglutide in late 2023). During the full time period (January 2018 – September 2024), 73.3% of GLP-1 RA prescriptions had a dispense within 60 days of their prescription (e.g., were initiated within 60 days).