Novo Nordisk on Wednesday said it will offer its weight loss drug Wegovy for less than half of its usual price per month through a new direct-to-consumer online pharmacy.

The cash-pay offering is available to millions of patients without insurance coverage for the blockbuster injection, such as those with Medicare. The pharmacy, called NovoCare, will allow patients to pay $499 in cash per month for the weekly drug. 

Wegovy’s list price before insurance and other rebates is almost $1,350 per month.

The Danish drugmaker’s move follows a similar strategy from its main rival Eli Lilly. The two companies are fighting to dominate the market for so-called GLP-1s, which mimic certain gut hormones to suppress appetite and regulate blood sugar.

Eli Lilly in January 2024 launched its own direct-to-consumer online pharmacy, LillyDirect, to help patients access its weight loss drug Zepbound.

The website allows eligible patients to get a prescription through a telehealth provider and can provide home delivery. More recently, LillyDirect also started offering Zepbound in single-dose vials that are half or even less of its usual $1,000 monthly list price.

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