Novo Nordisk hit hard as U.S. rebuffs insulin drug

[Anonymous]

So true, Vic will never get a weight loss indication. Novo gives reps that impression in hopes that we will sell off label for weight loss

Wait... off label? Why that would NEVER happen at Novo!! Just ask Frank Bigley!! He would never allow that! Aren't we working on compliance training now? Don't you remember his great speech about it being our duty to report such things? Such BS. He ALLOWS it! Just ask him about the superstar mgr in CA who tells his reps to talk off label (JSPG).

 

[Anonymous]

So far most degludec patients in the UK seem to be patients where the doctors have had several hospital admissions (DKA or hypos) and compliance with insulin is regarded as a big part of the problem.
The hypo angle is important but not as important as the fact that degludec is still effective when patients are erratic with their dosing and simply can't/won't inject at the same time every day.
So older patients, shift workers, 18-25 yo type 1s, people in care homes who need a nurse to come and do their injections etc etc etc.
Remember it is a socialized system so PCPs are willing to invest in a drug with large price premium if it is going to save $1,000s in hospital admission fees from their budget.

Oh goody! We are getting the high-risk patients! You know, the ones who tend to have heart attacks! So, good luck trying to show the hypos that didn't happen because of degludec, when drug safety monitoring WILL show the CV events that DID happen, even those that are not the fault of degludec.

Even if CV events are not the fault of degludec, when your drug is used in a patient pool of high-risk patients (elderly diabetics, Type 1's with erratic eating/exercise habits, etc.), there will be trouble and degludec will be accused, no matter how unfairly. Usage in high-risk populations in Europe will generate a sizable number of CV events and that will NOT help degludec in the eyes of US regulatory folks.

That aside, what percentage of a U.S. doctor's practice is comprised of the patients you describe as typical degludec users? 5%? 10%? Ask your PCP docs you call on now to tell you the percentage of patients in their practice who do shift work, have repeated hospitalizations for hypos or are in a SNF/LTC setting. You obviously can't mention degludec, but do some blinded market research. Post back here with your results. I'm betting 10% max of a doctor's patients would be a degludec patient.

What you've got is a niche product with a premium price, that will peak at 5-10% market share. Sounds like "Son of Levemir" to me....

 

[Anonymous]

Oh goody! We are getting the high-risk patients! You know, the ones who tend to have heart attacks! So, good luck trying to show the hypos that didn't happen because of degludec, when drug safety monitoring WILL show the CV events that DID happen, even those that are not the fault of degludec.

Even if CV events are not the fault of degludec, when your drug is used in a patient pool of high-risk patients (elderly diabetics, Type 1's with erratic eating/exercise habits, etc.), there will be trouble and degludec will be accused, no matter how unfairly. Usage in high-risk populations in Europe will generate a sizable number of CV events and that will NOT help degludec in the eyes of US regulatory folks.

That aside, what percentage of a U.S. doctor's practice is comprised of the patients you describe as typical degludec users? 5%? 10%? Ask your PCP docs you call on now to tell you the percentage of patients in their practice who do shift work, have repeated hospitalizations for hypos or are in a SNF/LTC setting. You obviously can't mention degludec, but do some blinded market research. Post back here with your results. I'm betting 10% max of a doctor's patients would be a degludec patient.

What you've got is a niche product with a premium price, that will peak at 5-10% market share. Sounds like "Son of Levemir" to me....

Damn you sound like a typical novo rep... Spin spin spin ... Here's a fact - Degludec is dead! It's that simple

 

[Anonymous]

So far most degludec patients in the UK seem to be patients where the doctors have had several hospital admissions (DKA or hypos) and compliance with insulin is regarded as a big part of the problem.
The hypo angle is important but not as important as the fact that degludec is still effective when patients are erratic with their dosing and simply can't/won't inject at the same time every day.
So older patients, shift workers, 18-25 yo type 1s, people in care homes who need a nurse to come and do their injections etc etc etc.
Remember it is a socialized system so PCPs are willing to invest in a drug with large price premium if it is going to save $1,000s in hospital admission fees from their budget.

Degludec is dead - let it go

 

[Anonymous]

Damn you sound like a typical novo rep... Spin spin spin ... Here's a fact - Degludec is dead! It's that simple

You obviously didn't read the post. The poster was saying that AT BEST Novo has a brain-dead basal in Degludec. Hardly spin, spin, spin...