AstraZeneca discontinues Byetta and Bydureon BCise; UnitedHealthcare lists covered alternatives
Two GLP-1 receptor agonist products for diabetes are off the market, and UnitedHealthcare has named the alternatives its plans prefer, with Medicare and state plans deciding separately.
AstraZeneca has discontinued two GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines used to treat diabetes, Byetta and Bydureon BCise, according to a notice UnitedHealthcare sent to providers [1]. Byetta was discontinued on Oct. 25, 2024, and Bydureon BCise on Oct. 28, 2024, UnitedHealthcare said [1].
The notice says AstraZeneca recently notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the discontinuations [1]. It does not give a reason for either move, and it does not describe them as recalls or as safety actions [1]. UnitedHealthcare's notice is dated Dec. 19, 2024 [1].
UnitedHealthcare said it identified preferred covered alternatives so that patients with its benefit plans keep access to a covered GLP-1 receptor agonist product for diabetes [1]. The alternatives differ by plan type.
What each plan covers
- Commercial plans: Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Trulicity and liraglutide (Victoza authorized generic) [1].
- Individual Exchange plans, also called Individual and Family ACA Marketplace plans: Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus and Trulicity [1].
- Community Plans: UnitedHealthcare points providers to state-specific drug lists for preferred covered GLP-1s [1].
- Individual and Group Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D plans: coverage is set by the member's specific plan, which providers can check through PreCheck MyScript [1].
A footnote in the notice lists the GLP-1 products currently available to treat diabetes as Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Trulicity and liraglutide (Victoza authorized generic) [1]. Byetta and Bydureon BCise are not on that list [1].
Why it matters for patients
A discontinuation is different from a coverage change: the manufacturer has stopped the product rather than a health plan dropping it from a formulary [1]. People who take Byetta or Bydureon BCise are taking medicines that are no longer being distributed by AstraZeneca, and the notice does not say how much supply remains at pharmacies or how long it may last [1].
The notice does not say whether patients will be switched automatically to another product. It directs providers to plan-specific tools and drug lists to find covered options [1]. Because those lists differ by plan type, two people who took the same discontinued drug may be pointed to different alternatives. A commercial plan member's list includes five products, an Individual Exchange plan member's list includes four, and Medicare Advantage and Part D members have to check the details of their own plan [1].
The alternatives UnitedHealthcare lists are separate products, not new versions of Byetta or Bydureon BCise, and the lists cover GLP-1 medicines for diabetes rather than the products most often discussed for weight loss [1]. UnitedHealthcare also directs providers to PreCheck MyScript, a real-time benefit check available through many electronic medical records, and to the UnitedHealthcare Provider Portal [1].
What happens next
The notice gives no further timetable from AstraZeneca after the October discontinuation dates, and no end date for remaining pharmacy supply [1]. UnitedHealthcare says covered alternatives can be viewed using PreCheck MyScript or the provider portal, and that Community Plan coverage is set by state-specific drug lists [1]. It has not been reported whether other insurers have published similar lists of preferred alternatives, and it has not been disclosed how many patients were taking either product.
Sources
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