Latest news with #semaglutide
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hims & Hers Stock Tumbles as Novo Nordisk Ends Its Wegovy Sales Deal. Can the Telehealth Giant Recover?
Novo Nordisk is feuding with Hims & Hers Health over the latter's sale of compounded versions of Wegovy. Hims & Hers Health's business spans well beyond weight loss drugs, but the fallout of this could damage the company's reputation. A wide range of outcomes makes evaluating the stock more challenging now. 10 stocks we like better than Hims & Hers Health › Up-and-coming telehealth company Hims & Hers Health (NYSE: HIMS) has capitalized on the weight loss drug craze to become one of the market's top performers over the past few years. However, recently, pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, the maker of popular GLP-1 agonist weight loss drug Wegovy, terminated its sales partnership with the company due to its continued efforts to sell compounded semaglutide, the patented active ingredient in Wegovy. The stock tumbled over 30% on the news, but is still up nearly 100% over the past year. Will Hims & Hers recover, or is this the beginning of the stock's troubles? Here is what you need to know. Wegovy is a popular weight loss drug, a type of GLP-1 agonist, that helps patients lose weight by slowing digestion and suppressing their appetite. It was so popular that Novo Nordisk couldn't keep up with demand, and regulators declared a shortage from 2022 to earlier this year. During a drug shortage, healthcare providers can prescribe compounded versions of medications. Compounding involves producing customized versions of a mass-produced drug, typically intended for uncommon circumstances. For example, a patient may experience severe side effects from the commercially available dosage and need a custom dose. Hims & Hers began selling compounded semaglutide (Wegovy) in May 2024, which has helped fuel the company's success over the past year. The semaglutide shortage ended in February, after which compounding was supposed to cease, except in the rare instances where compounding has traditionally helped patients. In April, Novo Nordisk partnered with Hims & Hers to provide direct access to Wegovy to the telehealth company's patients. However, Hims & Hers has continued to sell compounded semaglutide on the basis that patients still require personalized treatments. CEO Andrew Dudum recently posted on X that the company had conducted a study of over 90,000 participants using personalized GLP-1 treatments, though he didn't provide any sources. Novo Nordisk, arguing that Hims & Hers is abusing compounding as a loophole to bypass its patent, terminated the sales agreement. The press release Novo Nordisk put out includes several potentially troubling allegations against Hims & Hers, including: Using deceptive marketing practices Illegal mass compounding to skirt patent protection Selling potentially unsafe knock-off versions of Wegovy, made by Chinese manufacturers without regulatory approval or oversight Now, whether these allegations are factual is impossible to know without more information, some of which may not ultimately come out without litigation. Thus far, Novo Nordisk has not sued Hims & Hers, though it's certainly a possibility. The stock's trajectory from here is up in the air, to say the least. On the one hand, Hims & Hers was a flourishing business before it started offering compounded semaglutide. It grew its subscriber base from 391,000 in Q1 2021 to 1.7 million in Q1 2024 (just before announcing its weight loss launch), selling generic drugs and products for other conditions across skin and hair care, sexual health, and other categories. Management's 2025 sales guidance is currently $2.3 billion to $2.4 billion, with approximately 30% of revenue coming from weight loss drugs. So, while compounded semaglutide has been a significant growth catalyst, which explains why management is fighting to continue selling it, it's not the entire business, by any means. On the other hand, the allegations could damage the Hims & Hers brand and reputation, which are crucial to the business model, considering its treatments, even the personalized versions, aren't proprietary. Numerous competitors sold compounded semaglutide throughout the shortage, and it's been the company's strong marketing and execution that have fueled such impressive growth over the past several years. Now, investors must wait and see whether this drama begins to weigh on the Hims & Hers brand. Will patients start to back away from Hims & Hers? Will Novo Nordisk sue Hims & Hers? Lawsuits can be lengthy and expensive, casting a dark cloud over the stock for the foreseeable future. Novo Nordisk's allegations could be bitter mudslinging, or they could be serious trouble for Hims & Hers if they're true. If anything, it's probably safe to say that a promising, growing business has become a far riskier stock. Investors will want to use extra caution when approaching Hims & Hers until some of the dust settles. Before you buy stock in Hims & Hers Health, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Hims & Hers Health wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. 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Health Line
16 hours ago
- Health
- Health Line
Will Medicare Pay for the Pill Form of Semaglutide?
Semaglutide is a prescription medication. Injectable forms of the drug are available under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy. The pill form of semaglutide is available as the brand-name drug Rybelsus. Medicare drug plans usually cover Rybelsus when doctors prescribe it for type 2 diabetes. Medicare coverage of the pill form of semaglutide The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Rybelsus, the pill form of semaglutide, to lower blood sugar levels when taken along with exercise and diet in people with type 2 diabetes. If you have a Part D prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan with drug benefits, your plan may cover Rybelsus if your doctor prescribes it for this FDA-approved use. Every Medicare drug plan has a list of covered drugs called a formulary. Not all Medicare plans may cover Rybelsus. If you're unsure whether your plan may cover Rybelsus, check its formulary or contact a plan representative. Medicare coverage of semaglutide for weight loss Some doctors prescribe the pill form of semaglutide off-label to assist with weight loss. 'Off-label' use describes taking a drug for a purpose the FDA hasn't approved. Medicare doesn't cover drugs when people take them off-label. For this reason, it doesn't cover the pill form of semaglutide for weight loss.
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Experts: What Ozempic really does to your face
The Ozempic boom has seen a drug widely used to treat diabetes and manage obesity in adults transform into 'miracle' weight loss jab that's coveted by anyone with a few extra kilos to shed. Ozempic and other alternatives like Mounjaro and Wegovy are all different brand names for the drug semaglutide that mimics the the actions of GLP-1 - a hormone in the brain that regulates appetite and feelings of fullness . Weekly doses of these blockbuster weight loss medicines can help people shed 15 to 20 per cent of their body weight on average - but it can also pile on the years and make you look older than you are, experts say. The rapid and drastic weight loss triggered by these medicines has left people 'freaking out' about developing so-called 'Ozempic face', celebrity nutritionist Rose Ferguson told Femail. The 49-year-old former model, who is close friends with Kate Moss and boasts 116,000 followers on Instagram, reported a rise in the number of her clients who are worried about their face transforming from these injections. Semaglutide, which is not a targeted drug, does not just cause loss around the stomach and thighs, but the entire body - including the face. People using skinny jabs like Ozempic might notice a greater number of wrinkles all over their visage - including on the forehead - as these 'miracle' weight loss treatments cause a loss of volume in the face . According to New York-based cosmetic dermatologist Dr Michele Green, 'this volume loss can also worsen the appearance of existing fine lines, wrinkles, and skin laxity' and, therefore, contribute to a more 'aged' look with continued use. Eyes sink Experts also pointed out how Ozempic can make your eyes look more sunken as a result of rapid weight loss - with people reporting anywher Speaking to US-based plastic surgeon pointed out a 'hollowing under the eyes' and 'more wrinkles' and fine lines around them as the weight loss drug begins to show results. Noting how the face of Robbie Williams, who admitted to taking 'something like Ozempic' to shed pounds and manage his 'type-2 self-loathing', she added: 'With Robbie, you can see the direct results of weight loss.' Cheeks sag When you lose weight over an extended period of time, it allows the skin to contract and shrink with the body - but drugs like Ozempic significantly accelerate the process. And while this weight loss reduces facial or subcutaneous fat - as well as making the body leaner - it also leads to loose skin because it hasn't had enough time to retract. This leads to cheeks that sag or droop , and is one of the main characteristics of 'Ozempic face'. 'By depleting the subcutaneous fat, the skin appears thinner, with more wrinkling and often lipstick lines,' New York-based plastic surgeon Dr Barry Weintraub told this website. Lips get bigger While the most common symptoms of this condition include drooping around the cheeks, sunken eyes, and an increased number of wrinkles, a plumper, more pronounced pout can also occur in people who have injectable fillers. Speaking to MailOnline , aesthetician Kayti Brooks said that 'Ozempic face' makes lip fillers look more pronounced. The expert - who runs Grey Door Aesthetics in Hove - said: 'Losing weight at the phenomenal rate Ozempic allows will lose the fat all over the body including the face - but overfilled lips will not shrink. 'Any filler won't have the support structure of the skin. The filler will stay and the lips stay big or bigger! With the skin laxity disappearing the client may feel the need to plump up with filler. 'This is hugely aging and so obvious what procedures have been carried out.' Folds at the corner of the mouth Dr Green told that 'Ozempic mouth' is something she is seeing among many of her clients taking the blockbuster weight loss medication. She said: 'Many users of Ozempic who I know report noticeable volume loss in the face, which can result in the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, and jowls around the mouth. The condition is considered part of a broader phenomenon dubbed 'Ozempic face' where rapid weight loss causes sagging in the cheeks and around the mouth . Dr Green noted that the appearance of an aged mouth is especially apparent on people who rapidly lose weight from higher doses of the GLP-1 drug. It is characterised by deep folds at the corners of the mouth, increased vertical wrinkles on the lips, sagging skin around the borders of the lips and and drooping skin around the chin. Dr Green has noticed a number of celebrities suffering from Ozempic mouth as the result of taking weight loss drugs, with some of her standout examples being Sharon Osbourne, Rebel Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg. Tooth decay The latest side effect linked to the use of skinny jabs is tooth decay, with experts noting a rise in the number of patients complaining of 'Ozempic teeth'. The unofficial umbrella term refers to dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease linked to these weight loss drugs that are now used by millions across the world. 'While there is no direct scientific evidence yet , in clinical settings semaglutide drugs like Ozempic are starting to show correlation with damaged teeth,' Dr Sandip Sachar, a dentist, told The Standard. Experts told the outlet there could be a couple of different reasons for this. First, GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic can lead to less saliva being produced and, consequently, hinder the mouth's self-cleansing abilities. The second reason is linked to acid reflux, a common side-effect of these jabs. An increase in the amount of acid 'can erode your teeth,' Dr Daniel Atkinson, clinical lead at told the paper. Finally, Ozempic's appetite-suppression qualities can make it difficult for the body to get the nutrients it requires to maintain healthy teeth.
Gizmodo
21 hours ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
This Once-a-Month Ozempic Rival Just Delivered Big Results
Having to take Ozempic or other weight loss drugs can be a real pain in the ass, with users often having to jab themselves once each week. In newly released clinical trial data, Amgen's once-monthly experimental drug MariTide performed as well as or even better than the existing blockbuster GLP-1 medications semaglutide and tirzepatide. People taking MariTide consistently lost more weight than those on placebo, with some losing up to 20% of their baseline weight over a year's time. Amgen is moving ahead to Phase III trials of MariTide, setting the stage for a fierce competition among the next generation of obesity drugs. Amgen presented the full results of its Phase II trial of MariTide this week at the annual American Diabetes Association meeting; the results were also published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Ozempic Might Be a Dementia Buster, Too Like semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound and Mounjaro) before it, MariTide mimics GLP-1, a hormone important to regulating our hunger and blood sugar. But the injectable medication has a few new tricks up its sleeve. The drug additionally carries a molecule that targets GIP, another important hunger-related hormone. Interestingly enough, tirzepatide mimics GIP, but MariTide inhibits it (that suggests GIP's role in controlling our weight is plenty complicated). The experimental drug also contains a lab-made antibody designed to keep it lingering in our system for a long time, so it's intended to be taken monthly or once every two months, compared to the weekly shots needed for semaglutide and tirzepatide. The Phase II trial involved nearly 600 adults, some of whom had type 2 diabetes and others with only obesity. In those with obesity only, people lost up to 20% of their weight on average over a 52-week span (those on placebo lost an average of 2.6% body weight). People with type 2 diabetes lost on average up to 17% of their weight. These results, while not directly comparable at this point, are on par with the clinical trial data of the latest GLP-1 drugs. And since participants were still continuing to shed pounds by the study's end, it's possible that the typical weight loss seen with MariTide might be even higher. 'MariTide delivered strong efficacy, including sustained weight loss without a plateau in the 52-week Phase 2 study and meaningful improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors, representing a defining advance for the obesity field,' said Jay Bradner, executive vice president of research and development at Amgen, in a statement from the company. Not everything with MariTide is sunshine and puppies, however. Rates of vomiting were much higher among certain groups of people on MariTide, for instance, which likely contributed to a higher rate of people dropping out before the study's end. But some data also suggest this side effect can be dampened by gradually raising people's doses over time, similar to how existing GLP-1 drugs are managed. The Best Obesity Drugs Aren't Even Here Yet Amgen will fully test out this staggered dosing strategy in its Phase III 72-week-long trial of MariTide for people with obesity and Type 2 diabetes, which has already begun enrollment. The company also plans to launch Phase III trials for cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, and heart failure. But it's far from alone in the arms race to develop more effective or practical obesity treatments. Dozens of other candidates are in the pipeline, each with their own possible advantages over today's drugs, such as being available via a pill or coming without the gastrointestinal side effects common to GLP-1s. Not all of these experimental drugs will work out, of course, but it seems likely that semaglutide and tirzepatide soon won't be the only options available for people with obesity.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hims & Hers stock plunges after Novo Nordisk ends Wegovy direct sales deal
Hims & Hers (HIMS) stock plummeted nearly 35% Monday after Novo Nordisk (NVO) announced it was ending a collaboration to make its blockbuster weight-loss drug, Wegovy, available on Hims' telehealth platform. Novo Nordisk said that Hims & Hers was breaking the law by continuing to sell copycat semaglutide, the key ingredient in Wegovy, alongside Novo's branded drugs. "Hims & Hers ... has failed to adhere to the law which prohibits mass sales of compounded drugs under the false guise of 'personalization,'" Novo said in a statement Monday. Novo shares lost around 5.5%. Hims & Hers declined to respond to Yahoo Finance's request for comment, but CEO Andrew Dudum posted on X several hours later, claiming that Novo's commercial team was pressuring it to "steer patients to Wegovy." "We refuse to be strong-armed by any pharmaceutical company's anticompetitive demands that infringe on the independent decision making of providers and limit patient choice," Dudum said in the post. The duo announced a collaboration last month that would allow patients to directly purchase Wegovy through Hims' telehealth platform. The agreement followed a growing trend among pharma companies, including Novo's competitor Eli Lilly (LLY) to fill the access gap after copycat, or compounded, GLP-1s were forced off the market. Compounded drugs were available when Lilly and Novo struggled to produce enough of their GLP-1s to meet the unexpected and unprecedented demand spike in the weight-loss market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows for copycats to be sold when a drug is in short supply without undergoing the same trial requirements as the branded drugs. Since the shortage has ended for both companies' drugs, some compounding pharmacies have continued to make copycats — mostly for Novo's semaglutide. They intend to continue and are allowed to do so due to a loophole that allows patients to have access to "personalized" medicine if they need adjustments to a branded product for reasons like tolerability or allergies. Lilly is also faced with how to manage some telehealth platforms that continue to offer compounded products, including Novo Nordisk's, which Lilly included in its concerns. Hims & Hers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In addition to the latest ding to the company's stock, investors are expecting Hims & Hers to grow at a slower clip than in the recent past. Hims has been riding the highs (and sometimes volatile swings) in GLP-1 news, especially as it relates to the availability of the copycat drugs. But it is also showing weakness in overall subscriptions to its telehealth platform, according to Bank of America analyst Allen Lutz. Revenue growth year over year has slowed sharply from roughly 45% in the third quarter of 2024 to 29% in the first quarter of this year. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will implement a new rule in July, making it easier for customers to cancel subscriptions with one click, which "could impact HIMS churn by simplifying subscription cancellations," Lutz said. Meanwhile, pressure from Congress and the federal government to end direct-to-consumer marketing for pharmaceutical sales could impact Hims, which faced backlash after it advertised compounded GLP-1s during the Super Bowl in February. But there is one potential bright spot, according to Lutz. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), a potentially $3 billion to $10 billion market, could add $4 million to $12 million for Hims in 2025. "HIMS has a strong history of scaling new categories quickly and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the next opportunity," Lutz wrote. "HIMS' DTC [direct-to-consumer] offering is likely to expand the current addressable market over time given strong brand recognition." This story has been updated to include Hims & Hers CEO comments from X. Anjalee Khemlani is the senior health reporter at Yahoo Finance, covering all things pharma, insurance, care services, digital health, PBMs, and health policy and politics. That includes GLP-1s, of course. Follow Anjalee as AnjKhem on social media platforms X, LinkedIn, and Bluesky @AnjKhem. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest health industry news and events impacting stock prices Sign in to access your portfolio
