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Novo Nordisk (NVO-2.58%), the maker of the blockbuster drug Ozempic, is cutting the price of its weight loss drug by more than half for even more patients that pay without insurance.
The Danish pharma giant announced today that it is expanding its savings program, offering Wegovy for $499 a month at all local pharmacies in the U.S. That marks a steep discount — more than 60% off the drug’s $1,349.02 list price. Previously, this reduced price was only available through Novo Nordisk’s direct-to-consumer service, NovoCare Pharmacy.
“At Novo Nordisk, we are committed to developing innovative medicines and will continue to prioritize making them accessible to and affordable for the communities we serve,” said Dave Moore, executive vice president of U.S. operations at Novo Nordisk, in a statement. “With the evolution of our Wegovy savings program, we continue to deliver options that empower people living with obesity to more easily pursue their weight management and health goals.”
The expanded program offers relief for those without insurance coverage for obesity medications. Patients paying out of pocket can now get a 28-day supply of Wegovy for $499 at their local pharmacy, down from the savings program’s previous $650 monthly price. Those with commercial insurance that covers Wegovy may pay as little as $0 per month, with savings of up to $225 per 28-day supply. However, the discounts do not apply to patients on government-funded healthcare programs.
Eli Lilly launched a similar offer last year through its direct-to-consumer program, selling the lowest doses of its weight loss drug Zepbound starting at $399. However, the medication came in single-dose vials, requiring patients to use a traditional syringe instead of the more convenient auto-injector pen that treatment usually comes in. Since then, the company has lowered the price and expanded the program to include all dose sizes. The program has since been integrated into several telehealth platforms including Ro, and more recently, Costco-partner Sesame.
Novo Nordisk’s announcement comes as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently removed semaglutide — the active ingredient in Wegovy and Zepbound — from its drug shortage list. The move put pressure on companies that have been able to sell off-brand, or compounded, versions of the drug amid past shortages.
The FDA said that state-licensed pharmacies and physicians, known as 503A compounders, must stop making and distributing off-brand semaglutide products by April 22. Outsourcing facilities, known as 503B’s, have until May 22 to do the same.
In its press release, Novo Nordisk said the updated savings program is meant to help patients “avoid the significant risks that can be posed by the compounding marketplace.”