Hims & Hers inks deal with Novo Nordisk to offer discounted ‘weight loss drug Wegovy'

Hindustan Times

29-04-2025

Novo Nordisk A/S is partnering with telehealth companies including Hims & Hers Health Inc., LifeMD Inc., and Ro to offer its popular weight-loss drug Wegovy to more US patients at a reduced price.
Through NovoCare, Novo's new direct-to-consumer pharmacy platform, the companies will sell a month's supply of Wegovy starting at $499 — roughly a 63% discount from the drug's US list price, before additional subscription fees.
Hims shares rose as much as 31% before markets opened in New York, while Novo erased earlier losses to rise as much as 3.3% in Copenhagen trading.
The strategy comes as rival Eli Lilly & Co. has teamed up with telehealth firms like Ro to distribute lower-cost vials of its own obesity medication, Zepbound. Lilly doesn't have a similar partnership with Hims, which sells Zepbound independently at a premium compared to Lilly's discounted offering.
Meanhwile, $HIMS Founder & CEO Andrew Dudum gave update on the company's brand-new partnership with Novo Nordisk via video statement on X.
Novo's expansion is aimed at filling the gap — and signals growing confidence in its ability to meet booming demand for weight-loss treatments, according to Dave Moore, the company's executive vice president for US operations.
'We have an opportunity to really meaningfully meet patients where they are,' Moore said. He added that Novo and its partners share 'a joint view' on making real Wegovy more accessible and affordable.
Novo's drugs Ozempic and Wegovy are slated for US government price negotiations starting in 2027.
Demand for weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound has surged, and telehealth companies have played a major role by making it easier to obtain prescriptions. During widespread supply shortages last year, many of these companies — including Hims and Ro — sold compounded versions of the drugs at steep discounts.
Hundreds of thousands of Americans came to rely on compounded medications, which are made by pharmacies and don't undergo the same Food and Drug Administration approval process as branded or generic drugs. Novo and Lilly have pushed back through lawsuits and public warnings, aiming to steer patients away from compounded products.
Now, with supply chains restored, the US Food and Drug Administration has said that mass compounding of these drugs must end. That could leave thousands of patients without access to low-cost alternatives — a gap Novo says it is prepared to fill.
Moore described the new pricing and partnerships as a significant shift. 'This is a change,' he said. 'This is different than where we have been the last couple of years.'
Novo began exploring partnerships with firms like Hims and Ro as the compounding era neared its end. 'Our teams have been getting to know each other for a while,' said Andrew Dudum, chief executive officer of Hims. He emphasized a strong alignment between leadership teams around expanding access and thinking creatively about care delivery.
Dudum said the companies view the Wegovy deal as a first step and plan to partner on additional offerings, though he didn't give specifics.
Both Hims and Ro operate subscription models. Under the new program, Hims will sell Wegovy for $599 a month, which includes a membership offering clinical and nutritional support. Ro will charge $499 a month for Wegovy, plus a $145 membership fee after the first month.
Hims also offers generic versions of liraglutide, the active ingredient in Novo's older weight-loss drug Saxenda, through its platform.
Hims plans to continue offering compounded versions of Wegovy to a limited group of patients who may require non-standard dosages, according to Dudum. He noted that given the drug's side effects — such as nausea, vomiting, and muscle loss — 'there's a cohort of patients that absolutely need this level of personalization.'
Compounders can still make alternative versions of the drugs if they modify doses, add other ingredients or change the route of administration in compliance with FDA rules.