The weight-loss drugs that kicked off America’s GLP-1 craze are about to get a lot less expensive, though only certain customers will notice the savings.
Novo Nordisk said it will slash list prices of the blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss medications Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy to $675 for a one-month supply effective Jan. 1, 2027. All three medications currently carry list prices of more than $1,000 for a one-month supply, with Wegovy injections and pills the priciest at $1,349.
The price cuts won’t have any effect on consumers who pay cash for their weight-loss medications. Novo Nordisk officials said the price cuts are aimed at making the drug more affordable for consumers with insurance plans that link coverage to the medications’ list price.
The price cuts also come as Novo Nordisk faces intense competition from Eli Lilly, the drugmaker whose obesity drug, Zepbound, has captured a growing share of the weight-loss market.
On Feb. 23, Novo Nordisk released late-stage study results showing participants who took its next-generation obesity drug, CagriSema, didn’t lose as much weight as those who took rival Eli Lilly’s Zepbound. Novo Nordisk’s shares dropped 16% on Monday after releasing the head-to-head results of weight-loss medications.
Which Wegovy, Ozempic customers will save money?
For cash-paying customers, Novo previously dropped the price for injectable Wegovy and most Ozempic dosages to $349 a month, down from $499, for consumers who purchase the medication directly from the drugmaker, telehealth partners, or retail pharmacies.
Lilly also previously announced price cuts for consumers who directly purchase Zepbound.
The list price cuts for Ozempic and Wegovy should make the medications more affordable for consumers whose coverage requires them to pay coinsurance — or a percentage of the medication’s overall cost, Novo Nordisk Executive Vice President of U.S. Operations Jamey Millar said. The price cuts should also help insured consumers with high-deductible plans, which require subscribers to pay a certain amount before coverage kicks in.
“We think this addresses and responds to repeated call(s) for lower list prices on the (Capitol) Hill and elsewhere, as well as the call for lower list prices from our patients who want access to these innovative medicines,” Millar said.
About 7 in 10 people who’ve taken GLP-1 medications said the drug’s cost influenced their decision to start or continue treatment, according to a survey released Feb. 24. The Navitus Health Solutions-commissioned survey of nearly 2,000 people found 1 in 4 paid more than $250 for every prescription fill.
Sharon Faust, chief pharmacy officer at Navitus, said the survey reveals concerns about GLP-1 medication cost and accessibility.
“Difficult tradeoffs exist for patients and plan sponsors alike,” Faust said.
While employers often cover the cost of diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Lilly’s Mounjaro for their workers, employers are less likely to pick up the tab for weight-loss medications.
A survey by benefits consultant Mercer found 49% of large employers covered GLP-1 medications in 2025, up from 41% in 2023. Another survey by health policy nonprofit KFF found 43% of larger employers in 2025 paid for anti-obesity drugs.
Novo’s Millar said the company announced the price cuts more than 10 months before the list price changes take effect, in part, to allow employers, health insurers and other businesses to plan benefits around the lower prices.
The goal is to “improve the insurance-based traditional side of the market in terms of quality, access and affordability,” Millar added.
Novo’s next-generation drug falls short in study
Novo is developing CagriSema as a potential successor to Wegovy.
Novo’s study results, released Feb. 23, compared CagriSema to Lilly’s tirzepatide in reducing weight. Tirzepatide is sold in the United States under the brand name Zepbound for weight loss and Mounjaro for diabetes.
The study showed CagriSema achieved a 23% reduction in body weight over 84 weeks, compared to 25.5% for Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide in the trial.
In a conference call on Monday, Feb. 23, Novo executives said CagriSema still has the potential to deliver the highest weight loss of any drug on the market after its expected approval by the Food and Drug Administration by the end of 2026 and launch in 2027.
Novo and Lilly both have faced competition from telehealth companies that still sell compounded versions of the anti-obesity drugs, often selling them for less. Novo recently sued Hims & Hers, an action the company said should put other telehealth companies on notice.
“We expect all of them to take note of what could be the potential consequences of their continued behavior,” John Kuckelman, Novo Nordisk’s group general counsel, told USA TODAY.
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Novo to cut Ozempic and Wegovy prices amid intense competition
Reporting by Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
