By Bhanvi Satija
LONDON (Reuters) -WeightWatchers' CEO said on Wednesday it plans to sell Novo Nordisk's much-anticipated Wegovy in pill form if it is launched next year in the United States, deepening its tie-up with the Danish obesity drugmaker.
The collaboration is a potential boost for WeightWatchers as it emerges from bankruptcy and highlights its commitment to sell branded obesity drugs, unlike rivals that push cheaper copies in a highly competitive market.
"We have been working with Novo Nordisk
ahead of time to support the launch of oral weight-loss medication," WeightWatchers CEO Tara Comonte said in an interview.
"A lot of people don't want an injection. And the convenience of a pill is going to be huge," she said.
Weight loss pills from Novo and rival Eli Lilly are under consideration for a new, speedy U.S. review pathway that can shave months from the normal approval process.
WeightWatchers could keep more customers on its platform than telehealth rivals, as doctors expect U.S. patients to switch to the branded medicines once prices come down under a deal announced last week by the White House.
Lilly and Novo agreed to slash prices of their popular GLP-1 injectable drugs for U.S. government health programs and cash-paying customers.
Starter doses of the weight-loss pills, if approved, will cost $149 a month for Medicare and Medicaid enrollees and for cash payers through the U.S. administration's new TrumpRx site.
"Anything that brings pricing down for these medications is good for WeightWatchers," Comonte said.
WeightWatchers is also trying to gain a stronger foothold in women's health, including through tailored programs that offer GLP-1 medicines and hormone replacement therapy.
Outside of the U.S., Germany and the UK are major markets for WeightWatchers, which had 4 million subscribers worldwide at the end of 2023.
(Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in London; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
