In This Article:
Novo Nordisk (NVO) is offering a one-month reduction in the price of its blockbuster weight-loss GLP-1 drug to help encourage new patients to use the branded drug, as compounded copycats are forced off the market.
"This one-time offer is intended to help patients who have previously been prescribed unapproved or illicit 'semaglutide' drugs and are seeking access to authentic, FDA-approved Wegovy," the company said in a statement Thursday.
Semaglutide is the key ingredient in Novo's weight-loss drug Wegovy and Type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic.
Novo announced that self-pay and uninsured patients can receive a $199 price for one month of doses, after which the price will increase to the standard cash price of $499 per month. The company also said that insured patients can pay as little as $0 per month.
"Mass compounding of 'semaglutide' is illegal, dangerous, and must stop now, which is why we are doubling down on our commitment to accessibility, availability, and affordability of authentic, FDA-approved Wegovy," Dave Moore, executive vice president of US operations, said in a statement Thursday.
The company, along with competitor Eli Lilly (LLY), found their drugs on the FDA's shortage list in the past couple of years as demand suddenly outstripped supply and the "accidental blockbuster" rose to popularity.
While GLP-1s aren't new, the latest formulation has provided the most weight loss ever, prompting non-diabetics to take the drugs. The shortage allowed compounded pharmacies to produce the copycats at cheaper prices, made from variable forms of the key ingredients — semaglutide for Novo Nordisk's drug and tirzepatide for Eli Lilly's — which, in some cases, turned out to be unsafe. The FDA warned against using such copycats.
Novo said in its statement Thursday that the FDA's grace period to allow mass compounding of the drug ended, which is why the company launched the offer and a "Choose the Real Thing" awareness campaign.
The deals can be accessed through telehealth platforms like Ro and LifeMD. Both companies are also providing limited-time deals for access to their wrap-around support services to help patients on their weight-loss journeys.
Novo warned that compounded versions would now be considered "unlawful." Ro has removed compounded semaglutide from its site's offerings.
"Now that the FDA's grace period has ended, any entity that mass produces or sells knockoff semaglutide is breaking the law and putting patient safety at risk," the company said. "Attempts by compounders to evade these laws by making manipulated, unnecessary, and pretextual changes to ingredients, routes of administration, or dosages are also unlawful."