Strive Pharmacy has confirmed it will not reintroduce its compounded semaglutide weight loss pill, pushing back against earlier media reports suggesting otherwise. The company clarified that its upcoming oral tablet relaunch is intended for use in creating GLP-1 pills, rather than being sold as a ready-to-use weight loss treatment.
The clarification comes after Hims & Hers briefly announced plans to sell a compounded version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, a popular GLP-1 weight loss medication, in February. The plan was quickly abandoned following a patent infringement lawsuit from Novo Nordisk and an FDA investigation into the marketing of unapproved GLP-1 compounds.
As demand for GLP-1 medications continues to surge, telehealth companies are facing a critical strategic choice: partner with riskier compounding pharmacies or secure more stable agreements with established GLP-1 manufacturers like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
Both Novo and Eli Lilly have offered discounted GLP-1 products to telehealth partners—including GoodRx, Ro, WeightWatchers, and LifeMD—on the condition that they stop offering compounded GLP-1s. Early results suggest these partnerships can be lucrative. GoodRx reported that its platform accounted for 20% of self-pay Wegovy pill sales in a single week in January, highlighting the market potential of FDA-approved products. Meanwhile, Ro and WeightWatchers are actively promoting branded GLP-1 medications through TV and digital campaigns, emphasizing safety, trust, and efficacy.
The rapid reversal of Hims’ compounded pill strategy illustrates how quickly copycat GLP-1 initiatives can be disrupted by patent holders and regulators. While Strive’s oral tablet may allow companies to explore regulatory gray areas, Hims’ retreat signals that even leading telehealth firms are reevaluating the risks of relying on compounded GLP-1s.
Looking ahead, the more sustainable approach for telehealth companies appears to be forging strong pharmaceutical partnerships and differentiating themselves through customer experience, adherence support, and value-added services such as personalized meal plans and fitness coaching.
