Real-World Utilization Of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists In U.S. Adults 

This poster was originally presented at the Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Europe 2024 Annual Meeting, held November 17-20, in Barcelona, Spain. 

Authors: Karen E. Smoyer, Dave Iwanyckyj, Pablo Racana, and Suki Kandola 

Affiliations: Amplity, Langhorne, PA, USA; Envision Pharma Group, Fairfield, CT, USA; and Envision Pharma Group, London, UK 

Introduction 

This study leveraged AnswerY™ (formerly known as Amplity Insights), our robust real-world database (RWD), including HIPAA-compliant physician notes, to characterize real-world use of GLP-1 RA–containing medications among adults in the United States.

Methods  

• >60 million electronic medical transcription records from AnswerY were analyzed from nearly 120,000 healthcare providers across all 50 states and 2 U.S. territories 
• Natural language processing was used to search and analyze the AnswerY database + platform 
• Patient records were examined to identify patients who had received a GLP-1 RA–containing medication, including specific agents (identified by a brand or compound name) or the class as a whole
  • Records for insulin-containing combination regimens with lixisenatide and insulin glargine (SOLIQUA®) were insufficient and excluded from the study cohort
• Patient demographics, comorbidities, GLP-1 RA use, and weight-loss indications were compiled, with drug use summarized by diabetes status

Results 

• Liraglutide was used most often (40.6%), followed by dulaglutide (35.5%), semaglutide (15.8%), and exenatide (10.3%). Only 0.4% of patients received tirzepatide

• Drug utilization differences were identified between the diabetes (n=86,140) and nondiabetes (n=8,622) cohorts, notably between semaglutide (14.9% vs 25.6%), dulaglutide (36.4% vs 25.7%), and tirzepatide (0.2% vs 2.6%) 

Limitations 

• All GLP-1 RA–containing agents were included in this study, as well as those used for glycaemic control 
• Patients obtaining GLP-1 RA–containing anti-obesity medications (AOMs) outside standard healthcare channels were excluded unless reported to their HCP and documented in their dictated notes 

Conclusions  

• Findings indicate GLP-1 RA–containing medications were overwhelmingly used in patients with diabetes 
• Use of these agents exclusively for weight loss was limited, which may be due in part to drug shortages and to insurance coverage restrictions for obesity/overweight indications 
• Increased use of GLP-1 RA–containing agents and tirzepatide for weight management in patients with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 or in patients with a BMI ≥27 kg/m2 and qualifying comorbidities is expected 

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