Moving on from a previous spat over compounded GLP-1, Novo Nordisk is heading into a partnership with telehealth provider Hims & Hers to offer discounted Wegovy (semaglutide).
The companies announced that Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster weight loss medication will be available through the Hims & Hers platform starting this week.
The collaboration aims to make Wegovy more accessible and affordable for millions of Americans.
The collaboration is a long-term one that is expected to expand beyond the initial Wegovy agreement, according to the companies. However, they did not disclose further details.
Dave Moore, executive vice president of US operations and global business development and president of Novo Nordisk in the US, said in the new release: “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.”
As part of the partnership, Hims & Hers will offer a bundled package that includes all dose strengths of Wegovy, along with a Hims & Hers membership.
The entire package is priced at a unified rate of $599 per month and is available directly through the Hims & Hers platform. Prescriptions will be fulfilled via Novo Nordisk’s NovoCare Pharmacy.
Related: Hims & Hers Kicks Off Super Bowl Debut with Commercial Taking Shots at the Weight Loss Industry
The membership provides 24/7 access to healthcare providers, ongoing clinical support and nutrition guidance.
Novo launched its direct-to-consumer NovoCare service in March. It initially offered Wegovy at $499 to make it more accessible for self-paying customers. Soon after, the company extended that pricing to all eligible cash-paying patients at retail pharmacies.
By comparison, the list price for a month’s supply of Wegovy without insurance or discounts is approximately $1,350.
From Criticism to Collaboration: Novo, Hims & Hers Put Wegovy Dispute Behind Them
Earlier this year, Novo clashed with Hims & Hers over its sale of compounded versions of semaglutide — the active ingredient in Novo’s blockbuster drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.
But with Wegovy no longer eligible for compounding, the companies appear to have buried the hatchet.
In late January, Hims & Hers aired a Super Bowl commercial that criticized the US weight loss industry — without naming specific companies — for prioritizing profits over patients.
The ad promoted Hims & Hers’ own access to compounded versions of GLP-1 obesity drugs, taking aim at high prices from brand-name manufacturers.
After it aired during the game in February, Novo fired back with ads in national newspapers raising concerns about the safety of compounded semaglutide.
Since then, semaglutide has been removed from the FDA shortage list, making it ineligible for compounding.
Although some compounders have legally challenged the FDA’s decision, a federal court recently ordered small compounders to halt production of copycat versions of Wegovy and Ozempic immediately. Larger compounders have until May 22 to comply.
In announcing the new partnership on Tuesday, Novo reaffirmed that “all doses of Wegovy are fully available,” countering compounders’ claims that the drugs remain in short supply.
In addition to its agreement with Hims & Hers, Novo also signed deals this week with two other telehealth providers for discounted Wegovy — Ro and LifeMD. Both companies have incorporated NovoCare into their platforms, which allow customers to access Wegovy for $499 per month.
Novo’s moves are similar to Eli Lilly’s, which formed several telehealth alliances in recent months to expand access to its GLP-1 weight loss drug, Zepbound (tirzepatide).
Since December, Lilly has partnered with Ro, LifeMD and Teladoc Health, offering lower-cost access to cash payers via its integrated self-pay pharmacy, GiftHealth.
Following the news of the Novo-Hims alliance, Hims & Hers’ stock surged by over 25%.
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