Jardiance Sales May be on the Rise
Type 2 diabetes patients who are currently taking the medication Jardiance may soon find themselves in good company.
Both the American Diabetes Association and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists are expected to release new treatment guidelines for patients living with type 2 diabetes in the coming weeks. Medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies expect these new guidelines to give credence to the cardiovascular benefits Jardiance offers.
Another Treatment Option
Currently, most type 2 diabetics are prescribed Metformin, a generic drug that helps to control blood sugar levels. By contrast, usually only endocrinology specialists prescribe Jardiance – and only after Metformin fails to control a patient's blood sugar levels.
However, the upcoming guidelines are expected to permit Jardiance's manufacturer (Eli Lilly) to claim far greater benefits for those to take the drug, inlcuding preventing fatal heart attacks and strokes. These benefits may make Jardiance more attractive to primary care physicians, giving type 2 diabetics a secondary treatment option.
"When you think of the overall patient population, getting it into the primary care users, that's going to be important," said Morningstar analyst Damien Conover.
What About the Cost?
Jardiance only received FDA approval two years ago. As a new player in the pharmaceutical game, the drug still carries a heavy price tag – around $400 a month.
So how does Eli Lilly expect to compete with medication like the $50-per-year Metformin? By reaching more patients. As more and more primary care doctors prescribe Jardiance to their patients, it is anticipated that insurance companies will agree to cover the cost of the drug. In fact, according to Reuters, “the largest U.S. pharmacy benefit manager... said the drug is on its national list of preferred drugs.”
With the new guidelines touting the heart-healthy benefits of Jardiance, it may be that more type 2 diabetics will be switching their prescriptions in 2017.
Source: Reuters