Overview

• Noom is rolling out microdosed, patient-specific versions of compounded semaglutide, starting at $149 per month, as a lower-cost alternative to branded drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound.
• The move comes ahead of the FDA’s May 22 deadline ending the temporary exemption for compounding Wegovy due to declared shortages.
• Personalized dosing schedules start with half the standard 0.25 mg dose and gradually increase to about half the FDA-approved maximum dose over 20 weeks.
• Demand for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs has surged, driven by their ability to help patients lose up to 20% of their body weight, but cost and side effects remain significant barriers.
• The FDA is reviewing whether semaglutide and tirzepatide should be classified as too complex to compound, which could further restrict access to compounded versions in the future.