Startup Omada Health to start prescribing GLP-1s, other obesity medications as membership grows 

Virtual care company Omada Health on Thursday said it will start prescribing GLP-1s and other obesity drugs and helping patients manage those medications.

Omada plans to expand the offerings under its weight management program as its membership grows to more than 800,000.

The announcement comes as digital health companies increase their presence in the blockbuster market for GLP-1s to treat obesity, diabetes and other chronic conditions – a space that could be worth roughly $100 billion by the end of the decade, according to some analysts. Several digital health companies similarly offer prescriptions for GLP-1s, and the manufacturers of those drugs, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, are taking steps to make their treatments more accessible while also developing new ones for patients.

“The announcement is in response to our belief that access to GLP-1s will grow pretty significantly over time,” Omada co-founder and CEO Sean Duffy said in an interview. He said Omada recognizes that the market will expand beyond GLP-1 injections to pills and other “next-generation” treatments that work in different ways, underscoring the need to help patients manage their medications. 

Programs from companies like Omada aim to support lifestyle and behavioral changes for patients on those drugs, offering nutrition guidance, education and a team of health coaches and exercise specialists, among other resources, that can help people stay on the drugs longer. But Omada is now tapping licensed providers trained in obesity care to prescribe medications and help patients manage the drugs. 

The new offering will allow the company to support patients as they receive a prescription and through the time they spend on a GLP-1. That kind of support is crucial, as GLP-1 injections can be complicated for patients to use properly and often come with gastrointestinal side effects that force some people to stop treatment.

“If you need to go up in dose, down in those, switch medications – you name it. We’ll be able to support you through this experience,” Duffy said.

Omada, which partners with national and regional health plans and employers, also said the new offering is an add-on for customers to better support their workers’ health needs while controlling costs and improving results from obesity treatments. 

Also on Thursday, Omada Health reported quarterly earnings for the second time since its initial public offering in June.

The company, founded in 2011, offers virtual care programs to support patients with chronic conditions such as prediabetes, diabetes and hypertension. Omada describes its approach as a “between-visit care model” that is complementary to the broader health-care ecosystem.