Novo Nordisk launches Wegovy subscription for GLP-1 obesity drugs

Novo Nordisk on Tuesday launched a multi-month subscription program for its Wegovy obesity drug products that aims to ensure cash-paying patients see lower, “predictable” monthly prices. 

Eligible patients can choose between three-, six- or 12-month subscriptions for the Wegovy injection or the two highest doses of the newly launched pill under the same brand name. Longer plans offer lower monthly pricing, and the company expects people to save up to $1,200 a year on the injection and as much as $600 a year on the pill, relative to paying for their individual dose each month, according to a Novo release. 

Patients can expect to pay flat monthly prices, even if they move to different doses, the company said. The subscription program will be available starting Tuesday on several of Novo’s telehealth partners, including Ro, WeightWatchers, LifeMD, Sesame and Hims & Hers, with more expected to be added soon. 

The first-of-its-kind offering is “an opportunity to help patients not only start but stay on therapy and help them manage the ups and downs of some of the pricing considerations,” regardless if they are starting treatment or are currently taking the drug, said Ed Cinca, Novo’s head of marketing and patient solutions. 

Inability to stay on GLP-1s is a longstanding issue due to factors such as difficulty accessing the drugs and gastrointestinal side effects, with one 2025 study estimating that around 65% of patients with obesity stop treatment within a year. 

The new program also comes as Novo’s pill, which has seen explosive uptake since its U.S. launch in January, is set to face fresh competition from an upcoming oral GLP-1 from chief rival Eli Lilly later this year. Lilly is currently the dominant player in the branded GLP-1 market in the U.S., with an estimated 60% share, while Novo has about 39%.

The Wegovy pill has largely been reaching people who didn’t previously take GLP-1 injections, making it crucial for Novo to capture as many new patients as it can before a competitor arrives. 

As Novo Nordisk’s subscription plans launch, cash-paying patients can still pay $149 per month for the lower doses of the pill, which are 1.5 and 4 milligrams. But starting in August, the 4-milligram dose will cost $199 per month. Meanwhile, the recently approved 7.2-milligram dose of Wegovy will be added to the subscription program at a later date. 

Cinca emphasized that patients can opt out of the subscription while it’s active if they no longer wish to enroll.

“We want to help patients identify a path that can help them feel comfortable about treating [obesity] in the long term,” he added.

Cinca said Novo is not yet offering the program on its NovoCare direct-to-consumer pharmacy, but added that there’s “an opportunity to evaluate how this goes and then build it out” through that platform over time.