Here’s how much Ozempic and similar drugs have soared in popularity since 2018

The use of GLP-1 meds — made popular by Ozempic (NVO+2.41%) — among U.S. adults without diabetes more than tripled between 2018 and 2022, with annual spending surging from $1.6 billion to $5.8 billion.

The findings were reported by MedPageToday on Tuesday, citing a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), using an unweighted sample of 90,000 adults. They found that the percentage of U.S. adults without diabetes filling at least one GLP-1 prescription increased from 0.1% in 2018 to 0.4% in 2022 — representing approximately 854,728 adults. By comparison, about 5.1 million adults with type 2 diabetes filled a prescription for the drugs that same year, according to a separate study.

The total number of people taking GLP-1 treatments today could also be much higher. In a May 2024 survey of 1,479 U.S. adults, about 12% said they’d taken a GLP-1 agonist, and almost one third said they’d heard “a lot” about these treatments, according to the health policy non-profit KFF.

GLP-1s are a class of drugs that have been used for decades to treat diabetes. They mimic a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and can also suppress appetite. But a newer generation of these drugs — such as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Eli Lilly’s (LLY+3.00%) Mounjaro — has fueled a surge in demand. Unlike older versions, which required daily doses, these newer medications are injected just once a week. Demand skyrocketed even further after the drugs were approved for weight loss. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy received approval to treat obesity in 2021, followed by Eli Lilly’s Zepbound in 2023.

By 2022, 65% of GLP-1 users without diabetes were on semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. Most GLP-1 users without diabetes were female (64%) and white (73%), with an average body mass index (BMI) of 35.7, classifying them as obese.

The blockbuster success of these drugs has transformed Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly into two of the world’s most valuable pharmaceutical companies. Novo Nordisk’s total revenue rose 26% in 2024 to $40.5 billion, while Eli Lilly saw a 32% jump, reaching $45 billion.