Novo Nordisk has announced that U.S. patients paying directly for their medications can now access a month’s supply of Ozempic for $499, a significant reduction from its nearly $1,000 list price. The offer is available through NovoCare Pharmacy, the company’s direct-to-consumer platform, and select partners including GoodRx.
The move comes amid mounting political pressure in the U.S. to bring down drug costs, particularly for popular GLP-1 medications used for diabetes and weight management. President Donald Trump has been vocal in calling for lower prices and direct-to-consumer models that bypass insurers, citing the steep gap between U.S. and international drug pricing.
Expanding Direct-to-Consumer Access
Earlier this year, Novo Nordisk introduced the same $499-a-month pricing for Wegovy, its high-demand weight loss treatment. Rival Eli Lilly has taken a similar approach, lowering out-of-pocket costs for its GLP-1 drug Zepbound.
While insurers are more likely to cover Ozempic for diabetes treatment than Wegovy for weight loss, Novo Nordisk is seeking to broaden accessibility by targeting self-pay patients directly. The company says the aim is to prevent patients from turning to unregulated or unsafe alternatives when faced with high prices.
“While Ozempic is well covered in the U.S., there are still patients who pay out-of-pocket for this vital medicine,” said Dave Moore, Executive Vice President of Novo Nordisk U.S. “If even one patient feels compelled to seek unapproved alternatives, that’s one too many.”
Market Challenges and Competition
Novo Nordisk acknowledged on its recent Q2 earnings call that compounded versions of semaglutide-based drugs — legally produced during shortages — have had an impact on sales, even after the FDA removed Ozempic and Wegovy from the official shortage list. Despite that, such compounded alternatives continue to circulate in the market.
The pricing adjustment reflects Novo Nordisk’s dual strategy: defending its market share from compounded versions while responding to public and political pressure for more affordable access.
The Bigger Picture
The reduced cost for Ozempic signals a shift in how pharmaceutical companies may approach pricing in the U.S. Going direct-to-consumer at a lower rate not only makes treatments more accessible but also strengthens brand loyalty in an increasingly competitive GLP-1 market. With Eli Lilly and other rivals pushing aggressively into weight loss and diabetes care, affordability is becoming as much of a differentiator as medical efficacy.
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