Hims & Hers Won’t Sell Compound Version of Novo’s Obesity Pill

Hims & Hers announced Saturday that it would stop selling what it claims is a cheaper, compounded version of Novo Nordisk’s obesity pill on its telehealth platform, after health officials called for an investigation into the company for potential violations of federal law.

Hims launched the compounded drug earlier this week at $49 per month. That prompted an immediate backlash from Novo, which last month launched the pill, the oral version of its Wegovy injectable treatment, for between $149 and $299 a month. Mass production of copies of a brand name drug is generally only permitted when the drug is in short supply.

Shortly afterward, the Food and Drug Administration said it would take “decisive action” to thwart companies like Hims that mass market compounded, unapproved versions of GLP-1 drugs. Then on Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services asked the Justice Department to investigate him.