Novo Nordisk Expands Access to Wegovy Through Telehealth Partnerships

Novo Nordisk has announced a series of strategic partnerships with telehealth providers, marking a significant shift in the company's approach to distributing its popular weight loss drug, Wegovy. The move comes as the pharmaceutical giant seeks to increase accessibility and affordability of the medication, while also putting to rest recent controversies surrounding compounded versions of its GLP-1 drugs.

Novo Nordisk's Telehealth Collaboration

Novo Nordisk has partnered with three telehealth companies - Hims & Hers, Ro, and LifeMD - to offer Wegovy at a discounted price through their platforms. The most notable of these collaborations is with Hims & Hers, a company with which Novo Nordisk had previously been at odds over the issue of compounded semaglutide.

Under the new agreement, Hims & Hers will offer a $599 monthly subscription that includes access to all doses of Wegovy, along with 24/7 clinical support and nutritional guidance. This package will be available through Novo Nordisk's NovoCare Pharmacy, which the company launched in March to provide direct-to-consumer access to Wegovy at a reduced price of $499 per month for self-pay customers.

Dave Moore, Executive Vice President of U.S. Operations and Global Business Development at Novo Nordisk, stated, "Beyond this initial collaboration, the companies are developing a roadmap that combines Novo Nordisk's innovative medications with Hims & Hers' ability to deliver access to quality care at scale, with the goal of improving long-term outcomes for more people living with chronic disease, and doing that more affordably."

Pricing Strategy and Market Competition

The partnerships with telehealth providers represent a strategic move by Novo Nordisk to maintain its competitive edge in the rapidly growing market for GLP-1 weight loss medications. By offering Wegovy at $499 per month through these platforms, Novo Nordisk is significantly undercutting the drug's list price of approximately $1,350 per month.

This pricing strategy aligns Novo Nordisk more closely with its main competitor, Eli Lilly, which has established similar telehealth partnerships for its weight loss drug, Zepbound. Lilly's collaborations with Ro, LifeMD, and Teladoc Health offer Zepbound at prices ranging from $399 to $549 per month, depending on the dose, compared to its regular list price of about $1,086.

Resolving the Compounding Controversy

The new partnerships, particularly with Hims & Hers, signal a resolution to the recent controversy surrounding compounded versions of semaglutide. Earlier this year, Hims & Hers drew criticism from Novo Nordisk for selling compounded semaglutide and running a Super Bowl advertisement that appeared to target the pricing practices of GLP-1 drug manufacturers.

However, recent developments have shifted the landscape. Semaglutide has been removed from the FDA shortage list, making it ineligible for compounding. A federal court ruling has ordered small compounders to immediately cease production of Wegovy and Ozempic copies, while larger compounders have until May 22 to stop operations.

In light of these changes, Novo Nordisk has reiterated that "all doses of Wegovy are fully available," addressing concerns about supply shortages that had previously fueled the demand for compounded alternatives.