Novo Nordisk cuts Ozempic price in weight loss war with Eli Lilly

Novo Nordisk said Monday that it will, effective immediately, offer an introductory price of $199 per month for two months to U.S.-based cash buyers of its best-selling diabetes and weight-loss drugs — Ozempic and Wegovy. It also lowers the “standard” price for existing cash buyers, from $499 to $349 per month.

The discounts make Novo Nordisk’s drugs competitive with Eli Lilly’s similar weight loss drug, Zepbound, which is available through the LillyDirect platform for $299 per month at the lowest dose for cash-paying customers. Lilly charges $449 per month for its highest doses, and Nordisk’s highest doses will still cost $499.

Novo Nordisk and Lilly’s drugs all work by targeting the GLP-1 hormone that controls appetite. The drugs have a list price of $1,000 and up per month, although considerable discounts and rebates are available to bring the price down.

Nordisk’s discounts come after the two companies reached a deal Nov. 6 with the Trump administration to reduce the cost next year for Wegovy and Zepbound to $350 per month on the TrumpRx portal, trending down to $245 per month over a two-year period. The drugs will also be available for the first time to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries for the treatment of weight loss.

Novo Nordisk said its cash offers are available on the Wegovy.com and Ozempic.com websites. They are also available through the company’s direct-to-consumer pharmacy, NovoCare; as well as Costco, various telehealth providers and more than 70,000 pharmacies. The two-month discounted introductory offer ends March 31.

A recent survey by KFF found that nearly 13% of U.S. adults are currently taking a GLP-1 medication, and 25% of them pay for the medications out of pocket.

Novo Nordisk’s $199 introductory offer is available until March 31, 2026. After the first two months, patients will upgrade to the new standard self-pay monthly price of $349.