Novo launches $249 Wegovy subscription as shares fall about 30%

Novo Nordisk has begun offering three-, six- and 12-month subscription plans for its Wegovy pen, with the 12-month option priced at $249 per month, and the article reports the company's shares are down roughly 30% this year.

Novo Nordisk has introduced subscription pricing for its Wegovy obesity treatment, offering three-, six- and 12-month plans through telehealth partners. The company set the 12-month option at $249 per month, which the article reports is about $50 below the lowest offering from Eli Lilly. The subscription structure is described as aimed at improving predictability for patients who pay cash while insurance coverage for these drugs remains limited. The rollout follows other product moves, including a pill version of Wegovy launched in January and recent distribution partnerships under CEO Mike Doustdar. Key details: - Subscription lengths available are three, six and 12 months. - The 12-month Wegovy pen plan is priced at $249 per month, about $50 below the article's description of Eli Lilly's lowest offering. - Telehealth partners named include Ro, Weight Watchers, and LifeMD, and Novo has also expanded distribution through a deal with Hims & Hers Health. - The article reports Novo’s shares are down roughly 30% year-to-date and noted a decline of as much as 1.4% in Copenhagen on the day referenced. - Analysts cited in the article said Wegovy’s pill launch has been selling at around three times the rate seen during the launch of Lilly’s Zepbound, with most patients paying cash. - Novo indicated longer-term subscribers could save up to $600 annually and that a newly approved higher-dose Wegovy shot is expected to be added to the program later. Summary: The subscription rollout is presented as a way to increase pricing visibility and access for cash-paying patients amid competitive pressure in the obesity drug market. The article notes investor concerns reflected in a roughly 30% share decline this year; it also reports that Eli Lilly has signaled interest in exploring similar pricing structures and that Novo plans to add a higher-dose Wegovy shot to the program at a later date.