PLAINSBORO, NJ – In a move expected to benefit thousands of New Jersey residents living with obesity and type 2 diabetes, Novo Nordisk, whose U.S. headquarters is based in Plainsboro, announced it will significantly lower the list prices of its popular semaglutide medicines — Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus — starting January 1, 2027.
The company said the new list price of $675 per month will apply across all doses of the three medications, representing approximately a 50% reduction for Wegovy and a 35% reduction for Ozempic.
The pricing change, Novo Nordisk said, is designed to expand access to its groundbreaking GLP-1 medications, which have become mainstays in the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes but remain costly for many patients.
Helping more New Jersey patients access life-changing care
Novo Nordisk’s Plainsboro-based U.S. operations have long been at the center of the company’s efforts to make diabetes and weight management therapies more affordable. According to company officials, the decision reflects both patient demand and pressure from insurers and healthcare systems to reduce the financial burden of treatment.
“Lowering the list price of Wegovy and Ozempic is the best approach to address the unprecedented opportunity to help more than 100 million people living with obesity and over 35 million people with type 2 diabetes in the United States,” said Jamey Millar, executive vice president of U.S. Operations at Novo Nordisk. “Our actions today answer that call and remove cost barriers so the value of Wegovy and Ozempic can be realized by more patients.”
The move could have a significant local impact in New Jersey, where rates of diabetes and obesity remain higher than the national average in several counties. Local physicians have noted that while demand for GLP-1 medications has soared, high out-of-pocket costs — often linked to the drug’s list price — have prevented some patients from accessing the treatments.
Price cuts target patients with high out-of-pocket costs
The company emphasized that the new pricing will particularly benefit individuals enrolled in high-deductible or co-insurance health plans, where patient costs are directly tied to the list price.
The change does not affect Novo Nordisk’s existing direct-to-patient self-pay programs or other affordability initiatives, such as NovoCare Pharmacy and telehealth partnerships, which already help patients access authentic, FDA-approved semaglutide products at lower costs.
Expanding access beyond diabetes
Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide-based medications are approved for a broad range of indications — beyond traditional diabetes management. Wegovy is FDA-approved for obesity and cardiovascular risk reduction, while Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
The company says these expanded uses underscore semaglutide’s growing role in addressing multiple health challenges simultaneously — and make affordability a critical public health issue.
“Private and public payers, as well as patients, want access and have been calling for lower list prices,” Millar said. “This decision is about connecting more people with our innovative medicines and ensuring that cost no longer stands in the way of better health outcomes.”
Continuing Novo Nordisk’s New Jersey legacy
From its Plainsboro campus, Novo Nordisk has built a reputation as one of New Jersey’s leading life sciences employers and innovators. The company’s latest decision aligns with its long-term strategy to make essential medicines more accessible and address health inequities nationwide.
By lowering list prices across its flagship products, Novo Nordisk aims to bring the benefits of semaglutide therapy to more patients — in New Jersey and across the country — and help reshape the future of chronic disease care.
Tags: New Jersey, Novo Nordisk, Wegovy, Ozempic, healthcare
