Telehealth company Hims & Hers dropped its plan to offer a knockoff version of the weight-loss pill Wegovy on Saturday — two days after it announced the new drug and one day after the Food and Drug Administration threatened to restrict access to the ingredients needed to copy popular weight-loss medications.
Hims had said Thursday that it would offer a compounded version of the new Wegovy pill that drugmaker Novo Nordisk just began selling last month. Novo immediately threatened to sue Hims, and then the FDA said Friday that it plans to take decisive steps to limit access to the active ingredients in popular GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic and Zepbound.
Hims' own website still touted the new semaglutide pill offering Saturday afternoon — hours after it announced on X that it will no longer sell the medicine. Semaglutide is the chemical name for Wegovy.
“Since launching the compounded semaglutide pill on our platform, we’ve had constructive conversations with stakeholders across the industry. As a result, we have decided to stop offering access to this treatment,” Hims said in its statement. “We remain committed to the millions of Americans who depend on us for access to safe, affordable, and personalized care.”
Hims didn’t say Saturday whether it will make any changes to the compounded versions of injectable weight-loss medications it has been selling as a result of the FDA action.
The San Francisco-based company had planned to significantly undercut Novo's price of $149 per month for the Wegovy pill by selling its version at $49 for the first month and $99 per month thereafter. Hims and other similar companies got started several years ago by offering cheap generic versions of drugs for hair loss, erectile dysfunction and other health issues before branching out into the multibillion market for obesity medications.
Novo plans to tout its new FDA-approved Wegovy pill in a celebrity-filled Super Bowl ad on Sunday. The Danish pharmaceutical giant didn't immediately comment Saturday on Hims' decision to drop the knockoff. Rival drugmaker Eli Lilly has said that it expects the FDA to approve an oral version of its orforglipron weight loss medication later this spring. But Wegovy is the first pill to hit the market.
The compounded medicine that Hims had planned to sell wasn't approved and had not gone through trials to demonstrate that it would be effective.
The FDA permits specialty pharmacies and other companies to make compounded versions of brand name drugs when they are in short supply. And the booming demand for GLP-1 drugs in recent years prompted companies like Hims to jump into the multibillion-dollar market for the drugs, with many patients willing to pay cash.
In 2024, the FDA said that GLP-1 drugs were no longer in a shortage, which was expected to put an end to the compounding. But companies like Hims relied on an exception to keep selling their versions of the medications because the practice is still permitted when a prescription is customized for the patient.
FILE - This photo shows Novo Nordisk headquarters in Bagsvaerd, Denmark, on Feb. 5, 2025. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP, File)
ROME (AP) — AC Milan lost ground in the race for the Serie A title after a 1-0 defeat at Lazio on Sunday left it eight points behind leader Inter Milan.
Gustav Isaksen's first-half goal proved enough for Lazio as Massimiliano Allegri's Milan wasted a chance to cut the gap on its city rival, which was held at home by Atalanta on Saturday.
There are nine rounds of matches remaining.
Isaksen broke the deadlock in the 26th minute after connecting with a long ball, getting the better of defender Pervis Estupiñán before sending the ball past Milan 'keeper Mike Maignan with a composed finish.
Milan defender Zachary Athekame's goal from a corner was ruled out in the 75th minute for a handball.
Como came from behind to move into fourth place and a Champions League spot with a 2-1 win over 10-man Roma in the Italian league on Sunday.
Despite missing key players, Roma took an early lead from Donyell Malen's penalty after Stephan El Shaarawy was brought down. Both teams created chances after the interval and Como coach Cesc Fabregas' changes paid off as Tasos Douvikas beat the offside trap to equalize.
A turning point came soon after when Roma's Wesley was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Assane Diao. Como made the most of its numerical advantage and Diego Carlos sealed the win with his first Serie A goal in the 79th minute.
Roma was in sixth place, three points behind Como.
Elsewhere, substitute Vitinha and Leo Ostigard scored in Genoa's 2-0 win at last-place Verona as Daniele De Rossi’s side moved even further away from the relegation zone.
Genoa is 13th with 33 points after 29 rounds, nine points above 18th-place Cremonese.
Inter Milan drew 1-1 with Atalanta at home on Saturday.
Vitinha scored right after coming on as a replacement for Caleb Ekuban with a powerful shot from long range around the hour mark. Ostigard made it 2-0 in the 86th minute with a header from a free kick.
Down to 10 men from the 37th minute after Rafiu Durosinmi kicked defender Yerry Mina, 19th-place Pisa claimed its second league win of the season.
Antonio Caracciolo scored a brace in the 3-1 win over Cagliari, which also finished with 10 men following Adam Obert's late dismissal for a second yellow card.
Bologna beat Sassuolo 1-0, with Thijs Dallinga scoring early in the game.
But Bologna lost several players through injuries ahead of the second leg of the Europa League round-of-16 tie at Roma on Thursday, with the first leg a 1-1 draw. Goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski was injured after an aerial challenge but was forced to play on because coach Vincenzo Italiano had already used all his substitutions.
Nikola Moro and Lorenzo De Silvestri also got injured Sunday.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Lazio's goalkeeper Edoardo Motta makes a save against AC Milan's Rafael Leao, centre, during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan, in Rome, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
AC Milan's Christopher Nkunku makes an attempt to score during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan, in Rome, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Lazio's Gustav Isaksen scores his side's opening goal past AC Milan's goalkeeper Mike Maignan during a Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan, in Rome, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Como's Diego Carlos celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Roma in Como, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026 (Photo by Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)
Como's Diego Carlos celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Roma in Como, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026 (Photo by Antonio Saia/LaPresse via AP)
Genoa's Vitinha, front center, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and GFC Genoa 1893 in Verona, Italy, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (Paola Garbuio/LaPresse via AP)
