E.01REFUTES
Ozempic Revenue
Novo Nordisk's semaglutide products generated $21 billion in 2023. It's a 31-amino-acid peptide.
PEPTIDE MYTHBUSTER
The billion-dollar blind spot in this argument
Verdict:BUSTED
BIG PHARMA DOESN'T SELL PEPTIDES
Myth #005 / Analysis
01 / The Claim
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
"If peptides actually worked, pharmaceutical companies would be selling them — the fact that they don't proves peptides are just snake oil.
02 / Evidence
THE DATA
Each point of evidence assessed against the original claim.
E.02REFUTES
Mounjaro Sales
Eli Lilly's tirzepatide hit $5.2 billion in its first full year. Also a peptide.
E.03REFUTES
FDA Approvals
Over 80 peptide drugs have received FDA approval. Dozens more in clinical trials.
E.04NEUTRAL
Patent Strategy
Pharma companies aggressively patent peptide modifications to maintain market exclusivity.
E.05NEUTRAL
Compounding Threat
Shortage declarations allowed compounders to produce semaglutide — pharma lobbied to end this.
E.06REFUTES
Price Differential
Branded Ozempic costs $900-1000/month. Compounded semaglutide ran $150-300 during shortages.
E.07REFUTES
Market Growth
Global peptide therapeutics market projected to exceed $90 billion by 2030.
03 / Verdict
THE RULING
Pharmaceutical companies generate tens of billions annually from peptide drugs. The argument collapses under the weight of Ozempic alone.
04 / Key Facts
THE SCIENCE
$50+ BILLION ANNUALLY
Combined GLP-1 peptide drug revenue in 2023. Pharma doesn't ignore molecules that print money.
80+ APPROVED
FDA-approved peptide drugs currently on market, treating diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, and more.
INSULIN IS A PEPTIDE
The most prescribed drug in diabetes history is a 51-amino-acid peptide. Discovered 1921. Still selling.
COMPOUNDING WARS
Pharma's fight isn't against peptides — it's against anyone else making them affordably.
05 / Deep Dive
WHY IT MATTERS
Peptide therapeutics represent one of pharma's fastest-growing sectors. GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) are peptide drugs generating over $50 billion in combined annual revenue. The real tension isn't whether peptides work — it's whether compounding pharmacies can offer similar molecules outside the patent-protected pricing structure.
06 / Sources
REFERENCES
- [01]
Muttenthaler M, King GF, Adams DJ, Alewood PF (2021). Trends in peptide drug discovery. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery.
View Source - [02]
Drucker DJ (2022). GLP-1 physiology informs the pharmacotherapy of obesity. Molecular Metabolism.
View Source - [03]
Novo Nordisk (2024). Annual Report 2023. Novo Nordisk Corporate Filing.
View Source - [04]
Wang L, et al. (2022). Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy.
View Source
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Peptide Mythbuster. Evidence-based analysis.
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