Amazon $AMZN ( ▲ 0.44% ) is stepping deeper into the weight-loss drug market. Amazon Pharmacy announced Friday that it will begin offering home delivery for Novo Nordisk’s $NVO ( ▲ 2.56% ) newly approved Wegovy pill, expanding access to the drugmaker’s first oral weight-loss treatment.
The move marks another push toward direct-to-consumer distribution for Novo as competition in the GLP-1 market heats up.
A Cheaper Wegovy, No Injections Required
Amazon said customers will be able to get the Wegovy pill through both insurance and cash-pay options. Novo’s listed cash price is $149 per month, less than half the cost of its injectable GLP-1 drugs sold through the same channel.
That pricing advantage could be meaningful. Injectables like Ozempic and Wegovy have faced persistent access issues, from shortages to high out-of-pocket costs, making a lower-priced oral option especially attractive to patients.
Novo Expands Its Retail and Telehealth Reach
Amazon joins a growing list of partners distributing the pill. Novo has already teamed up with big-box retailers like Costco $COST ( ▲ 1.05% ) and Walmart $WMT ( ▲ 1.29% ) , along with major telehealth platforms including Ro, Weight Watchers $WW ( ▼ 11.62% ) , and LifeMD $LFMD ( ▼ 3.5% ) .
The strategy comes as Novo looks to regain momentum after losing market share to Eli Lilly $LLY ( ▼ 1.99% ) , which surged ahead by aggressively embracing direct-to-consumer channels earlier in the GLP-1 rollout.
First of Its Kind, for Now
The Food and Drug Administration approved Novo’s weight-loss pill in December, making it the first oral GLP-1 treatment officially cleared for weight loss. The pill uses the same active ingredient, semaglutide, found in Ozempic and injectable Wegovy.
That lead may not last long. Eli Lilly’s oral GLP-1, orforglipron, is expected to reach the market later this year, setting up the next phase of competition in what’s already one of the most lucrative drug categories in pharma.
For now, Amazon’s involvement gives Novo a powerful new distribution channel and brings weight-loss drugs one step closer to the front door.