WeightWatchers has confirmed it no longer offers compounded semaglutide, instead providing patients with Novo Nordisk’s branded drug Wegovy.
In its Q2 results, the telehealth company said it started transitioning patients from compounded semaglutide to branded semaglutide from 22 May.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Compounded drugs are custom-made and unbranded medications that contain the same active ingredient as a marketed drug.
The move means WeightWatchers is in line with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deadlines for pharmacies and outsourcing facilities to cease production of compounded semaglutide by April and May, respectively.
WeightWatchers became one of a long list of telehealth platforms offering compounded semaglutide in the past few years. The company pursued this strategy amid waning interest in diet and lifestyle changes, with people preferring to take weight loss medication instead.
Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide) generated sales of $22.57bn in Q2 2025 alone.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataFDA legalisation permits compounded alternatives to be marketed when a drug is in shortage, as semalgutide was from 2022 through early 2025.
The transition by WeightWatchers marks a stark contrast to Hims & Hers, which has continued to sell compounded semaglutide despite the FDA’s orders. Novo Nordisk, which manufactures Wegovy and has faced decreasing share prices amid the competition, has filed lawsuits against many online vendors and telehealth companies selling compounded semaglutide.
A number of companies maintain they are allowed to sell compounded glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), which are considerably cheaper than branded versions, at a personalised dose.
In a Q2 earnings conference call, WeightWatchers’ CEO Tara Comant said: “Following the May 22 FDA deadline prohibiting outsourcing facilities from compounding semaglutide, we’ve been working to transition impacted clinical members to alternative medications, albeit these are generally at higher price points and as other telehealth players are continuing to offer compounded GLP-1RAs under the guise of a personalisation exemption.”
Novo Nordisk ended a partnership with Hims & Hers just weeks after it had been established amid the controversy of continued compounded subscription services. Instead, the drugmaker pivoted to work with WeightWatchers. The collaboration, which began on 1 July, allows WeightWatchers to sell Wegovy at a discounted price.
Despite changing tactics, WeightWatchers has struggled financially amid the rise in GLP-1RAs. The company expects revenue in 2025 of between $685m and $700m, with operating income of between $140m and $150m.
The telehealth company did not respond immediately to Pharmaceutical Technology when asked if offering Wegovy would remain a key strategy of the company in the future.
While WeightWatchers’ Q2 sales of $189.2m topped analyst estimates of $178m, this was still a 6.4% decline from the same period in 2024. Declines were offset by 55% growth in clinical revenue, the vast majority due to compounded semaglutide subscriptions.
WeightWatchers’ chief financial officer Felicia DellaFortuna said: “While we continue to navigate some volatility, our immediate priority is stabilising the business. With a strengthened capital structure, we are better positioned to invest in growth, support innovation, and scale efficiently, while maintaining the financial discipline needed to drive long-term profitability.”
