Novo Nordisk offers Wegovy for less than half the price through new direct-to-consumer pharmacy

Core Viewpoint - Novo Nordisk is launching a direct-to-consumer online pharmacy, NovoCare, offering its weight loss drug Wegovy at a significantly reduced price of $499 per month, compared to its previous list price of nearly $1,350 per month, aiming to increase accessibility for patients without insurance coverage [1][3]. Group 1: Pricing and Accessibility - The new cash-pay offering is designed for millions of patients lacking insurance coverage, including those on Medicare, to make Wegovy more accessible [2]. - Wegovy will be available for $499 per month through NovoCare, which is less than half of its original list price [3]. - The pharmacy will provide home delivery of Wegovy prescriptions and additional patient support services, including refill reminders and access to live case managers [3][4]. Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Novo Nordisk's strategy mirrors that of its main competitor, Eli Lilly, which launched its own direct-to-consumer online pharmacy, LillyDirect, to facilitate access to its weight loss drug Zepbound [5]. - Eli Lilly's LillyDirect also offers Zepbound at a reduced price, with single-dose vials available for half or less of its usual $1,000 monthly list price [6]. - The FDA has recently declared the shortages of both Zepbound and Wegovy over, which will limit the ability of compounding pharmacies to create unapproved versions of these injections [6].