Latest news with #DrKimBoyd
Reuters
08-07-2025
- Health
- Reuters
WeightWatchers names new medical chief, plans to offer menopause therapy and support
NEW YORK, July 8 (Reuters) - WeightWatchers on Tuesday named Dr. Kim Boyd as chief medical officer and said it was planning a new program to help women manage the transition into menopause and beyond, as part of its growth strategy in emerging from bankruptcy. Reuters exclusively reported the appointment earlier in the day. Boyd, a Stanford University graduate who has worked with several consumer health startups, said in an interview WeightWatchers is building upon its decades-long work providing weight management tools to also address the specific needs of people using obesity treatments. That includes Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's (LLY.N), opens new tab Zepbound. The company says its model promoting balanced eating and exercise helps subscribers reduce gastrointestinal side effects from the medicines and lose more weight on Wegovy. "We have the foundation, and we will continue to evolve our programming to show up in a way that matches best with the addition of medications," Boyd said. WeightWatchers CEO Tara Comonte said such support for members using weight-loss drugs should appeal to health insurers and employers who pay for health benefits as they seek more sustainable management of the costly medications. "It's a different business model and these partnerships and relationships take a much longer period of time than dialing up some direct to consumer marketing or promotional models," Comonte said. The program for perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause will include access to prescription treatments such as hormone replacement therapy, as well as behavioral and nutritional support for members, a significant proportion of whom are women ages 40 to 60 years old, WeightWatchers said. More details will become available later this year, the company, also known as WW International, said. 'It is a very natural overlap. In the perimenopausal and menopausal phase, up to 70% of women experience weight gain,' Boyd said. Boyd previously served as national medical director at One Medical, a clinical business now owned by (AMZN.O), opens new tab, and later was chief medical officer at weight-management company Calibrate. Her appointment comes nearly a year after previous Chief Medical Officer Dr. Amy Meister stepped down. In the interim, WeightWatchers emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, after struggling to compete with other online weight-management platforms selling cheaper, compounded versions of obesity treatments, including telehealth companies like Hims & Hers Health (HIMS.N), opens new tab. The market for weight-management companies is changing since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered an end to sales of compounded versions of Wegovy in late May. WeightWatchers last month announced a partnership with Novo Nordisk to sell Wegovy through the drugmaker's NovoCare pharmacy. Hims & Hers continues to offer smaller doses of compounded Wegovy than what is available from Novo, arguing they are providing a personalized medication that is not subject to the FDA ban. Industry analysts, however, have questioned whether that strategy will leave Hims vulnerable to legal challenges. Hims has said it also plans to expand into testosterone and menopause treatments as part of its growth strategy in the coming years. WeightWatchers has stopped selling compounded weight-loss drugs, and its partnership with Novo may prove more attractive to employer-sponsored health plans in the long run, Boyd said. "At the foundation of this is prescribing FDA-approved medications," Comonte said. 'We only prescribe branded drugs." A month's supply of Wegovy is listed at over $1,000 per month, but many people pay less through insurance. Cash-pay patients can access the treatment for $499 through NovoCare. "For employers, some of them are finding value in these vendors like WeightWatchers... that give the members the lifestyle tools," said Chantell Reagan, a senior director at advisory firm Willis Towers Watson. These strategies may help an employee sustain weight loss if they stop using a drug, she said. "We are looking very closely at our employers that are using these programs and assessing the effectiveness."
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WeightWatchers emerges from bankruptcy after slimming down debts
WeightWatchers has emerged from bankruptcy after slimming down its debts, as it pledged to combine weight-loss jabs with lifestyle changes amid 'quick fixes' dominating the market. The company said it was shaking up its leadership team and launching a new menopause programme. The group filed for bankruptcy in the US in May in order to eliminate 1.15 billion US dollars (£840 million) worth of debt on its balance sheet. The court process enabled it to restructure its finances and write off the debts, which made up more than 70% of the total amount, while agreeing new terms to pay back its lenders. WeightWatchers' chief executive Tara Comonte had said it needed to transform amid a 'rapidly evolving weight managing landscape'. Competition has grown fiercely with demand for prescription weight-loss injections under brand names like Mounjaro and Wegovy growing, while studies into the long-term effects of the jabs are ongoing. On Tuesday, the group said it had appointed a new chief medical officer, physician Dr Kim Boyd, to lead the integration of emerging science into its wider lifestyle-based offering for members. Dr Boyd said she planned to expand the company's 'legacy' by 'combining the best tools of modern medicine, like GLP-1s, with science-backed lifestyle change and the power of community to deliver better outcomes'. GLP-1s, the scientific term for weight-loss jabs, work by reducing food cravings. WeightWatchers recently partnered with anti-obesity drugs provider CheqUp in the UK so patients taking the medication can access its 'companion' diet and lifestyle support app. Ms Comonte said it was a 'pivotal moment for the group, adding: 'With renewed financial strength, an expanded leadership team, and the addition of Dr Kim Boyd to lead clinical strategy and programme innovation, we're accelerating our transformation. 'In a landscape dominated by noise, quick fixes, and conflicting advice, WeightWatchers continues to lead as the most trusted, science-backed platform, proven to drive better results and lasting impact.' The restructuring resulted in the company appointing a new board of directors. It also revealed it would be launching a new programme later this year to support women through perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, through tailored nutritional and behavioural strategies. The move will help it address a broader gap in healthcare and meet the evolving needs of millions of its members around the world, it said.
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
WeightWatchers emerges from bankruptcy after slimming down debts
WeightWatchers has emerged from bankruptcy after slimming down its debts, as it pledged to combine weight-loss jabs with lifestyle changes amid 'quick fixes' dominating the market. The company said it was shaking up its leadership team and launching a new menopause programme. The group filed for bankruptcy in the US in May in order to eliminate 1.15 billion US dollars (£840 million) worth of debt on its balance sheet. The court process enabled it to restructure its finances and write off the debts, which made up more than 70% of the total amount, while agreeing new terms to pay back its lenders. WeightWatchers' chief executive Tara Comonte had said it needed to transform amid a 'rapidly evolving weight managing landscape'. Competition has grown fiercely with demand for prescription weight-loss injections under brand names like Mounjaro and Wegovy growing, while studies into the long-term effects of the jabs are ongoing. On Tuesday, the group said it had appointed a new chief medical officer, physician Dr Kim Boyd, to lead the integration of emerging science into its wider lifestyle-based offering for members. Dr Boyd said she planned to expand the company's 'legacy' by 'combining the best tools of modern medicine, like GLP-1s, with science-backed lifestyle change and the power of community to deliver better outcomes'. GLP-1s, the scientific term for weight-loss jabs, work by reducing food cravings. WeightWatchers recently partnered with anti-obesity drugs provider CheqUp in the UK so patients taking the medication can access its 'companion' diet and lifestyle support app. Ms Comonte said it was a 'pivotal moment for the group, adding: 'With renewed financial strength, an expanded leadership team, and the addition of Dr Kim Boyd to lead clinical strategy and programme innovation, we're accelerating our transformation. 'In a landscape dominated by noise, quick fixes, and conflicting advice, WeightWatchers continues to lead as the most trusted, science-backed platform, proven to drive better results and lasting impact.' The restructuring resulted in the company appointing a new board of directors. It also revealed it would be launching a new programme later this year to support women through perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, through tailored nutritional and behavioural strategies. The move will help it address a broader gap in healthcare and meet the evolving needs of millions of its members around the world, it said.
