Sesame Health-Care System to Launch New $249 Weight Loss Program with Compounded Wegovy Versions

• Sesame Health-care Marketplace unveiled a new clinical weight loss program that offers eligible consumers access to compounded versions of Novo Nordisk's blockbuster obesity drug Wegovy for $249 per month.
• The company announced that it is introducing compounded semaglutide, the active component in Wegovy and Ozempic, to its platform to facilitate secure access to obesity and diabetes treatments during a time when these treatments are in short supply.
• Compounded medications for weight loss could be a more affordable option compared to branded counterparts.

On Wednesday, Sesame Health-care Marketplace unveiled a new clinical weight loss program that offers eligible consumers access to compounded versions of Wegovy, Sesame's blockbuster obesity drug, for $249 per month.

Patients can book and pay for appointments with doctors and specialists directly through Sesame's website, eliminating the need for intermediaries like insurers.

Sesame is expanding its platform to include compounded semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, to help users safely access obesity and diabetes treatments during a time when many branded drugs are in short supply. Sesame already offers branded weight loss and diabetes drugs through its platform, including through a partnership with Novo Nordisk.

The company's new program could be a more affordable weight loss option as compounded medications are generally cheaper than branded versions. Wegovy and Ozempic cost around $1,000 per month without insurance, and many digital health companies' weight loss programs do not cover the cost of these medications.

"Sesame is making a version of compounded semaglutide available to its users at a very accessible price point, according to Michael Botta, president and co-founder of Sesame. In fact, Botta believes it is the most affordable price point consumers can find on an apples to apples basis."

GLP-1 medications, such as Wegovy and Ozempic, have gained immense popularity in recent years due to their ability to mimic gut hormones and control appetite and blood sugar levels. These treatments are expected to generate over $100 billion in annual revenue by 2030.

Brand-name GLP-1 medications are in shortage, making it difficult for patients to find treatments. However, certain manufacturers can prepare compounded versions if they meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements.

The FDA's drug shortage database reports that the lowest dose of Wegovy is currently in limited supply, while all other doses of the drug and Ozempic are readily available.

Compounded medications are individualized alternatives to branded drugs that cater to specific patient requirements, such as difficulty swallowing pills or allergies to certain dyes. These compounded drugs are regulated under two sections of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Two classes of compounding pharmacies were established by that law: 503B pharmacies, which are regulated by the FDA and can produce larger batches of medications without individual prescriptions, and 503A compounding pharmacies, which create custom medications for individual patients and are mostly regulated by states.

The patent protection of Wegovy and Ozempic in the U.S. and abroad, as well as the fact that Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly do not provide the active ingredients in their drugs to outside groups, raises concerns about the authenticity of some manufacturers' products being sold and marketed to consumers.

Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have taken legal action against unauthorized versions of their weight loss treatments, targeting clinics, medical spas, and compounding pharmacies in the U.S. over the past year. The FDA has also reported receiving cases of patients overdosing on compounded semaglutide due to dosing errors, such as patients administering incorrect amounts of the treatment to themselves.

Sesame initially kept a distance from compounded medications due to uncertainty about their purity and quality, but as the company gained knowledge about compounded GLP-1s, they found them to be effective and safe. People generally had positive experiences with taking them.

Sesame then sent its teams to inspect several 503B compounding pharmacies.

Botta stated that we decided to collaborate with a compounding pharmacy that meets our standards for inspecting their processes, quality, and output.

The pharmacy will produce pre-filled syringes instead of a single vial of medication for patients to measure themselves, as per the partnership with Sesame. This move will help patients avoid the risks associated with overfilling, over-injecting, and overdosing on the medication, as stated by Botta.

In order to take part in Sesame's new program, patients must fill out an intake form and choose a healthcare provider. They will then have a video consultation with the provider, undergo some lab work, and receive a prescription if the provider deems it necessary.

Sesame announced that patients will have access to ongoing consultations via video chat and a nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness content library, which will not be immediately available upon the launch of the new program on Wednesday, but will be live in about two weeks.

The company announced that those who sign up during the interim will receive access to it once it becomes available.

"Millions of Americans are facing challenges with obesity and its consequences, and addressing this issue is important, according to Botta."