Novo Nordisk is taking an unexpected step to expand access to its weight loss drug Wegovy. To reach this milestone, the company has joined with telehealth providers Hims & Hers Health, Ro, and Life MD. Even though Wegovy is finally available throughout the United States, leaving behind its long exigency, this has brought about acute safety concerns. This upcoming expansion is a huge step for this extremely popular drug.
Semaglutide (branded as Wegovy) is an FDA-approved treatment for obesity. Today, patients are able to access it virtually, leveraging telehealth platforms and receiving care from their homes. For its part, Hims & Hers is now bundling Wegovy with 24/7 concierge middlemen care, nutritional guidance and ongoing clinical support. The subscription service is open to qualifying cash-paying patients for a low flat fee of $599 per month. Ro now offers all doses of Wegovy through its platform for $499 a month.
Dave Moore, the executive vice president of U.S. operations at Novo Nordisk, emphasized the importance of adhering to legal and ethical standards in this initiative.
“The spirit of this is that we stay true to what the rules are,” – Dave Moore.
This collaboration comes at a time where patients have struggled to access care. As we saw with the Wegovy shortage due to high demand, many turned to compounded versions of semaglutide. Larger federally regulated compounding pharmacies should cease marketing and selling these alternatives by May 22. By comparison, smaller state-licensed pharmacies had to have theirs completed by April 22.
Moore noted that there was a great demand from patients willing to switch to branded Wegovy. Watch out—they’re clamping down on compounded medications! He stated,
“We’re really pleased about the level of interest to access branded Wegovy and to start to sort of catch people as they come off of compounded medicine.” – Dave Moore.
Novo Nordisk recently partnered with telehealth providers. Together, we are impressed by both organizations’ commitment to improving the lives of patients with timely and appropriate care for obesity. Moore added,
“We felt it was really important to work hard to establish a collaboration with telehealth companies so that there could be access to Wegovy as the compounding is winding down.” – Dave Moore.
Hims & Hers has since diversified into other weight loss and diabetes medicines. The platform recently added Eli Lilly’s weight loss medication Zepbound and diabetes drug Mounjaro to its treatment options, alongside liraglutide. Zach Reitano, co-founder and head of provider experience at Hims & Hers shared his optimism for this effort saying,
“Adding Novo Nordisk’s FDA-approved treatments at the best available cash price will help more patients nationwide get the obesity care they need to achieve their goals, particularly those without insurance coverage.” – Zach Reitano.
Following the announcement of Wegovy’s availability through telehealth providers, Novo Nordisk’s stock rose by 3%, while Hims & Hers shares soared by 30% in premarket trading. This increase is evidence of the market’s reaction to welcome news and a clear signal of the demand for safe and effective obesity treatments.
Wegovy has been on the market in Germany for a year. Now, it is making a bold return to the dramatic U.S. telehealth scene. This new collaboration ensures everyone has quicker, direct access to the medicine. Most importantly, it helps guarantee patients are given the multidisciplinary support needed to maximize success at every stage of their weight loss journey.