Online telehealth company Hims & Hers Health has announced it will begin offering a compounded version of Novo Nordisk's popular weight loss drug Wegovy, priced at a significantly lower introductory rate of just $49 per month. This move dramatically undercuts the brand-name medication, which Novo Nordisk plans to charge $199 monthly for its pill formulation.
Pricing and Subscription Details
The compounded treatment utilises semaglutide, the identical active ingredient found in Wegovy and Ozempic. After the initial $49 monthly payment, patients who commit to a five-month subscription will see the price rise to $99 per month. This pricing structure represents a substantial discount compared to Novo Nordisk's offering, potentially making weight loss medications more accessible to a broader patient demographic seeking affordable alternatives.
Market Reaction and Regulatory Warnings
Following the announcement, shares in pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk extended their losses, dropping by six per cent during early morning trading. The company has actively urged individual states to limit the mass manufacturing of weight-loss drug copies, citing patient safety concerns, despite compounding being legally permitted across the United States.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had previously issued a warning to Hims regarding its marketing of compounded semaglutide. The regulatory body stated that claims describing it as containing the "same active ingredient as Ozempic and Wegovy" could be misleading to consumers, as compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. This highlights ongoing tensions between innovative telehealth business models and established pharmaceutical regulatory frameworks.
Broader Industry Context
This development occurs alongside high-profile revelations about weight management, such as media personality Oprah Winfrey disclosing she gained 20 pounds during a break from weight loss injections. The entry of Hims & Hers into this competitive market with a low-cost alternative could disrupt traditional pharmaceutical pricing and distribution models, particularly for chronic conditions requiring long-term medication management.
The availability of compounded semaglutide at a fraction of the brand-name cost raises important questions about drug affordability, regulatory oversight, and patient access in the rapidly expanding telehealth and weight loss treatment sectors.
