Novo Nordisk Vows Legal Action Over $49 Wegovy Copycat Pill
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
A high-stakes battle over the future of weight-loss medication began Thursday as telehealth provider Hims & Hers announced the launch of a low-cost, oral version of semaglutide, prompting an immediate legal threat from pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk.
Hims & Hers revealed it would sell a compounded version of the weight-loss drug for just $49 for the first month—significantly undercutting the $149 price tag of Novo Nordisk’s branded pill. While Hims & Hers previously offered injectable versions of the drug, this move expands their portfolio to include an oral alternative for patients who wish to avoid needles.
The Danish drugmaker, which holds the patent for semaglutide until 2032, responded aggressively. In a statement, Novo Nordisk condemned the product as an "unapproved, inauthentic, and untested knockoff". The company argued that the product represents "illegal mass compounding" rather than legitimate personalized medicine and warned that it poses significant risks to patient safety. Novo specifically noted that its own FDA-approved pill uses proprietary SNAC technology to ensure proper absorption, questioning how the Hims formulation could match its efficacy.
Hims & Hers is utilizing a regulatory framework that allows for "compounded" medications—drugs custom-mixed for specific patients—to bypass standard FDA approval processes. Although the FDA declared the shortage of GLP-1 drugs over in 2024, an exception remains for "personalized" prescriptions. Hims argues its pill is personalized for patients needing specific dosage adjustments or those trying to minimize side effects. However, the FDA has previously warned the company regarding "deceptive advertising" that blurs the line between approved drugs and compounded copies.
The market reaction was swift. Shares of Novo Nordisk fell roughly 7% to 8% following the announcement, compounding a difficult year for the company, which recently forecast a decline in sales and profits for 2026. Meanwhile, Hims & Hers stock saw initial gains before volatility set in as investors weighed the potential profits against the looming legal fight.
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Keywords: Wegovy Copycat Pill
Wegovy Copycat Pill
