Medicare Slashes Ozempic's Price Tag 71%; Why Novo Nordisk Rallied

Core Insights - Novo Nordisk's stock rose due to a lighter-than-expected discount for its semaglutide-based products, Ozempic and Wegovy, under the Inflation Reduction Act, with discounts ranging from 38% to 85% [1][3] - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that price negotiations will save patients $685 million in out-of-pocket costs, focusing on the 15 most expensive drugs in Medicare [2] - Teva Pharmaceutical's Austedo received a 38% discount, with projected sales of $2.5 billion in 2027, contributing to a 4% rise in its stock [5][6] Novo Nordisk - Semaglutide will face a 71% discount, reducing its Medicare price to $274 per month in 2027 from a list price of $959 in 2024 [3] - The discount aligns with a Most Favored Nation deal, allowing Medicare to cover obesity drugs for the first time [4] - Novo Nordisk's stock is currently trading below key moving averages, indicating potential pressure [9] Teva Pharmaceutical - Teva's Austedo will see its price drop from $6,623 to $4,093 by 2027, leading to a positive outlook for the drug [5] - Teva's stock increased by over 4% following the news, reflecting investor confidence [6] AstraZeneca and BeOne Medicines - AstraZeneca's Calquence faces a 40% discount, dropping from $14,228 to $8,600 per month by 2027, but is not expected to significantly impact its market position against BeOne's Brukinsa [7][8] - BeOne's stock rose more than 2%, indicating a favorable market response despite AstraZeneca's discount [8]