Novo Nordisk partners with telehealth firms to expand Wegovy access

USA – Novo Nordisk has announced partnerships with telehealth companies Hims & Hers Health, LifeMD, and Ro in a strategic move to bolster the availability of its weight-loss drug Wegovy.

This collaboration aims to enhance Wegovy’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, particularly as compounded versions of semaglutide face increasing regulatory restrictions following the resolution of previous drug shortages.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently declared that shortages of Wegovy and Ozempic have been resolved, leading to a phase-out of legal allowances for compounded versions of these drugs.

Consequently, Novo Nordisk is leveraging the extensive reach of telehealth platforms to provide patients with legitimate, FDA-approved options for weight management.

This collaboration aims to enhance direct-to-consumer (DTC) access to Wegovy, particularly for individuals without insurance coverage, and follows Eli Lilly’s earlier launch of its own DTC platform, LillyDirect, which offers the rival drug Zepbound.

Eli Lilly introduced LillyDirect in January 2024, enabling patients to obtain prescriptions and receive home deliveries of medications like Zepbound through partnerships with online pharmacies such as Amazon Pharmacy and Truepill.

In response, Novo Nordisk launched its NovoCare Pharmacy platform earlier this year, now integrating it with the services of Hims & Hers, LifeMD, and Ro to broaden Wegovy’s availability.

Through these partnerships, patients can access Wegovy via the telehealth providers’ platforms, integrating Novo Nordisk’s NovoCare Pharmacy services.

Pricing structures vary: Hims & Hers offers Wegovy at US $599 per month, including 24/7 care, nutritional guidance, and clinical support; Ro and LifeMD provide the medication at US $499 per month, with additional services available through separate programs.

Dave Moore, Executive Vice President of U.S. Operations and Global Business Development at Novo Nordisk, emphasized the company’s commitment to expanding access to FDA-approved treatments and improving long-term outcomes for individuals living with chronic diseases.

This initiative also reflects a shift in the competitive landscape, as Novo Nordisk responds to Eli Lilly’s earlier launch of LillyDirect, a DTC platform for its obesity drug Zepbound.

By collaborating with telehealth firms, Novo Nordisk aims to strengthen its position in the growing market for GLP-1 receptor agonists used in weight management.

The announcement has had a positive impact on the stock prices of the involved telehealth companies, with Hims & Hers and LifeMD experiencing significant gains following the news.