A new study found 2 in 3 people who took GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic to lose weight quit within one year. People with Type 2 diabetes are more likely to continue using the medication.

The maker of the blockbuster weight loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic have cut the prices for most versions of these medications.

Novo Nordisk dropped the price for injectable Wegovy and Ozempic to $349 a month Nov. 17, down from $499 a month, for consumers who purchase the medication directly from the drugmaker, telehealth partners or retail pharmacies. Only the 2 mg dose of Ozempic will remain at $499 a month.

For new customers, Novo Nordisk will sell .25 mg and .5 mg versions of Wegovy and Ozempic for $199 for the first two months. The introductory offer for new self-pay consumers is available through March 31, 2026.

Novo Nordisk's price cuts come after the Trump administration pressured it and rival Eli Lilly to slash the prices of popular weight loss and diabetes medications. In a deal announced Nov. 6, President Donald Trump said that Medicare would cover Novo's Wegovy and Lilly's Zepbound for millions of older adults and that the drugmakers would sell discounted versions of the drugs through the federal government's direct-to-consumer website, TrumpRx, which will launch in 2026.

Novo Nordisk also continues to face competition from compounding pharmacies that sell discounted, knock-off versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic.

Consumers have struggled to afford glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs, or GLP-1s, because of high list prices and limited insurance coverage. Wegovy sells for a list price of $1,349.

In 2024, 44% of all large employers covered GLP-1 drugs for obesity, up from 41% in 2023, according to Mercer, a benefits consultant. Insurers are more likely to cover GLP-1 drugs when prescribed for diabetes or other conditions such as heart disease or sleep apnea.

About 1 in 8 adults in the United States take a GLP-1 medication such as Wegovy or Ozempic, according to a tracking poll released Nov. 14 by the health policy nonprofit KFF. The survey found about 1 in 4 users had to pay the full cost of their medications. More than half of GLP-1 users said it was difficult to afford the drugs.

Novo Nordisk officials said the price cut is the latest in a series of moves the Danish drugmaker has pursued to make the drugs more affordable for U.S. consumers.

"Since we've launched, Ozempic and Wegovy, you do see a trend down in price over time," said David Moore, executive vice president of U.S. operations for Novo Nordisk. "It's a phenomenon that we've experienced, and it wouldn't be surprising to see that continue as access and volumes increase."

Novo Nordisk has expanded access by selling the medications through chain retailers and discount websites.

In October, Novo Nordisk announced Costco and Sam's Club would sell Wegovy and Ozempic for self-pay customers. The Danish drugmaker also sells the medications through the discount prescription drug website GoodRx. Consumers also can purchase prescribed Wegovy through the company's NovoCare Pharmacy.

Novo and Lilly are developing oral, or pill, versions of the injectable weight loss medications. The drugmakers will sell yet-to-launch oral versions of these drugs for $149 a month, Trump announced earlier in November.

Moore said the company expects to gain Food and Drug Administration approval of the Wegovy pill by the end of 2025 and make the medication available to consumers by early 2026. Lilly has sought priority FDA review of its oral drug, called orforglipron.

Novo expects the FDA's priority review for a higher-dose injectable version of Wegovy.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Drugmaker cuts prices for Ozempic, Wegovy. Here's how much you will pay.

Reporting by Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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