WeightWatchers Reverses Course On Weight Loss Drugs, Joining Compounded Semaglutide Fervor In Hopes Of Turnaround
Weight loss drugs from Novo Nordisk ($NVO) and Eli Lilly ($LLY) are all the rage, but for those unwilling to sink the thousands required to access the miracle injections, cheaper alternatives await. Telehealth firms like Hims & Hers, 23andMe’s ($ME) Lemonaid Health, and Roman have been offering compounded semaglutide, which contains the same active ingredient as Novo’s Ozempic and Wegovy. Now, another weight-conscious company is joining in on the weight loss wars.
- Just a week after a major leadership shakeup, which included the departure of CEO Sima Sistani, diet giant WeightWatchers ($WW) announced it would start offering compounded semaglutide.
- According to Bloomberg, Sistani was reportedly against selling compounded weight loss meds, which the FDA has issued warnings about due to potential adverse events and side effects.
Weighing in: Although Novo and Eli’s drugs were recently removed from the FDA’s shortage list, investors digested WeightWatchers’ announcement as if it gave them a new lease on life — and it just might. The traditional weight-focused program, which has seen an 80% decline this year, rose over 42% on the news, reflecting a similar bump to its telehealth competitors. WeightWatchers will sell compounded semaglutide for $129 for the first month, then $189 per month afterward — a significant discount to Wegovy’s $1,349 monthly cost.
