Novo Nordisk will launch a discounted subscription plan for US Wegovy patients paying for the drug themselves, offering monthly prices up to nearly 30% below its standard rate as it tries to widen access and regain ground from Eli Lilly in the booming obesity-drug market.
Self-pay obesity-drug prices are coming under broader pressure as Novo and Eli Lilly turn to direct sales and telehealth firms to draw patients in, divert them from compounded copies and keep them on treatment for longer - even though deeper price cuts threaten margins.
Analysts and investors say Novo risks being on the losing side of the price war, having cut more deeply than Lilly to revive prescriptions that have lagged Lilly's rival drug Zepbound.
The new programme, available from Tuesday through telehealth platforms including Ro, WeightWatchers and LifeMD, lets eligible self-pay patients buy three-, six- or 12-month supplies at fixed monthly prices, with longer plans offering bigger reductions. Hims & Hers, Sesame and other telehealth companies are expected to join soon, Novo said.
The Danish drugmaker last year replaced its CEO and announced major job cuts and named a new head of its US business, as it seeks to better position itself against Lilly, which moved quickly into direct-to-consumer sales.
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