Anthem and Novo Nordisk Pioneer Innovative Payment Model for Type 2 Diabetes with Ozempic Real-World Evidence Study

On October 19, 2018, VCBeat (WeChat ID: VCbeat) learned from foreign media that HealthCore, the outcomes research subsidiary of Anthem, will collaborate with Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) to study Ozempic (also known as semaglutide), a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist developed by Novo Nordisk, for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Anthem Partners with Novo Nordisk (Image from the Internet)

The collaboration involves a randomized, pragmatic trial named SEPRA on Ozempic, conducted among 2,250 patients with type 2 diabetes to compare the long-term efficacy of Ozempic with that of 40 other medications. The trial aims to determine whether Ozempic offers superior efficacy or effectively assists patients in self-managing their disease compared to other FDA-approved diabetes treatments.

Researchers will follow up with trial participants who achieve target HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) levels over a two-year period. The trial will also assess the frequency of hospitalizations due to diabetes and its related complications. Additionally, changes in body weight, quality of life, incidence of hypoglycemia, and medication adherence among study participants will be monitored.

GLP-1 receptor agonists are the newest class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes. Currently, it is estimated that this medication is suitable for 1.3 million Americans, and Ozempic has received FDA approval. Ozempic has entered global Phase IIIa clinical trials involving more than 8,000 patients with type 2 diabetes. The program comprises eight components, including a two-year cardiovascular trial evaluating the safety of the drug in patients with type 2 diabetes and their risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Compared with placebo, sitagliptin, and extended-release exenatide, Ozempic demonstrates significantly greater efficacy in reducing patients’ HbA1c levels. Ozempic has been shown to cause thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents; however, it remains unclear whether Ozempic causes thyroid C-cell tumors in humans.

Todd Hobbs, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Novo Nordisk, stated: “We firmly believe in the clinical value of Ozempic and are pleased to gain deeper insights into its real-world application among patients with type 2 diabetes. Our collaboration with Anthem to invest in such research can help payers and physicians understand how to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care.”

The collaboration between Anthem and Novo Nordisk represents a new initiative in the U.S. healthcare insurance sector. As a leading national health benefits company, Anthem provides high-quality health insurance solutions to users, reducing medical costs for both patients and payers. Novo Nordisk is dedicated to the research and development of innovative drugs for diabetes. Their partnership will facilitate joint exploration of appropriate copayment models. This collaboration between a pharmaceutical company and a health insurer has the potential to evolve into an innovative payment model, thereby enhancing patients’ affordability of innovative products and improving drug accessibility.

HealthCore, a subsidiary of the health insurer Anthem, leverages real-world data—including claims information—to provide clinical and other scientific expertise to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. Its services primarily include historical database design and analysis, prospective observational study design and analysis, safety and epidemiological research services, post-authorization safety studies (PASS), health services research, patient and healthcare provider surveys, and general research consulting.

Novo Nordisk, founded in 1923 in Hovedstaden, Denmark, is a global healthcare company dedicated to discovering and developing innovative medicines, with over 90 years of innovative research in diabetes care. Additionally, the company’s pharmaceutical R&D portfolio encompasses obesity, hemophilia, growth disorders, NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), and atherosclerosis. Novo Nordisk’s U.S. headquarters is located in New Jersey, with production and research facilities across four states, employing nearly 6,000 people in the United States.