Simply a few months after launching a partnership with direct-to-consumer telehealth firm Hims & Hers, Novo Nordisk is terminating the collaboration, the corporate introduced on Monday. The drug producer is arguing that Hims & Hers isn’t following a regulation that prohibits mass gross sales of compounded GLP-1s and is utilizing misleading advertising and marketing techniques.
By the partnership, shoppers had entry to NovoCare Pharmacy, Novo Nordisk’s direct-to-consumer supply choice, instantly via the Hims & Hers platform. For $599 a month, they might be prescribed Wegovy and obtain a Hims & Hers membership, which incorporates 24/7 care, medical help and vitamin steering.
The partnership got here shortly after a conflict between the businesses over Hims & Hers’ Tremendous Bowl advert, which featured the corporate’s compounded GLP-1s. These are custom-made by compounding pharmacies and embrace the identical energetic ingredient present in branded GLP-1s like Wegovy (semaglutide) and are cheaper than branded variations. Compounded medicine are not FDA-approved and may solely be prescribed when there’s a scarcity of an FDA-approved drug, or if a affected person can’t be handled with an FDA-approved treatment.
Whereas there had been a scarcity of semaglutide injectables on the time of the Tremendous Bowl advert, the FDA has since said that the scarcity has been resolved, limiting firms from offering compounded variations. However this hasn’t stopped the prescribing of them solely. Following the February announcement that the scarcity has ended, Hims & Hers CEO Andrew Dudum mentioned on X that the corporate “will proceed to supply entry to customized therapies as allowed by regulation to fulfill affected person wants.”
Now, Novo Nordisk is arguing that Hims & Hers “has failed to stick to the regulation which prohibits mass gross sales of compounded medicine beneath the false guise of ‘personalization’ and are disseminating misleading advertising and marketing that places affected person security in danger,” mentioned Jamie Bennett, director of media relations on the firm, in an electronic mail.
Bennett added that that is “unacceptable” and is the corporate’s reasoning for ending its collaboration with Hims & Hers.
In response, Dudum mentioned on X that the corporate is “disillusioned to see Novo Nordisk administration deceptive the general public.”
“In current weeks, Novo Nordisk’s business group more and more pressured us to regulate medical requirements and steer sufferers to Wegovy no matter whether or not it was clinically greatest for sufferers,” he added. “We refuse to be strong-armed by any pharmaceutical firm’s anticompetitive calls for that infringe on the impartial choice making of suppliers and restrict affected person alternative.”
Dudum mentioned the corporate will proceed to supply entry to Wegovy. In a LinkedIn submit, Hims & Hers additionally said that it has a “strong security and high quality framework,” together with utilizing pharmaceutical-grade elements, present process complete testing and utilizing clear communication in order that prospects are knowledgeable concerning the potential unwanted side effects.
It’s vital to notice that Novo Nordisk has comparable partnerships with different telehealth firms, together with Ro and LifeMD. Whereas it’s terminating its partnership with Hims & Hers, it’s persevering with its different collaborations.
“Semaglutide compounding is permitted beneath U.S. compounding legal guidelines solely in uncommon situations and we really feel the businesses that we’re working with have demonstrated a superb religion effort to transition sufferers to genuine, FDA-approved Wegovy,” Bennett mentioned. “We’re happy to see different telehealth firms taking clear strikes away from mass selling and promoting compounded semaglutide medicine—as these medicine have by no means been authorised by FDA as secure and efficient and pose important security dangers to sufferers.”
In keeping with one weight problems drugs doctor, compounded GLP-1s are extraordinarily unsafe. There have been over a dozen deaths related to compounded GLP-1s, extra extreme unwanted side effects and extra ER admissions, mentioned Dr. Disha Narang, an endocrinologist and director of weight problems drugs at Endeavor Well being.
She added that there’s a notion that the drug is cheaper when going via a telehealth firm like Hims & Hers. And that’s not the case, she argued.
“Whether or not it’s going via Hims & Hers, or whether or not it’s going via a prescription in our clinic, whether it is going via the NovoCare Pharmacy, it’s $500 for everyone, it doesn’t matter what. So there’s not a less expensive route,” Narang mentioned. “And as a rule, most sufferers, if they’ve been utilizing compounded [drugs], whether or not it’s via a med spa or Hims & Hers or no matter, the fee shouldn’t be that totally different, particularly when it’s extra worthwhile to get the branded model given the dangers and risks of it.”
Picture by: Michael Siluk/UCG/Common Pictures Group by way of Getty Pictures
