Popular weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy are now being sold at below sticker prices at Costco pharmacies across the United States, as rising obesity levels boost demand for the drugs and cheaper copycat versions.

Novo Nordisk’s U.S. president, David Moore, told NBC News that the drugmaker’s push into Costco is a way to “offer the real, authentic Wegovy and Ozempic where patients seek care.”

It comes as the Danish pharmaceutical giant seeks to head off competition from rival manufacturers, after sales of copycat drugs from compound pharmacies soared amid national shortages.

The drugs, which mimic a natural hormone to curb hunger and make people feel full for longer, will be available on prescription to Costco members for an out-of-pocket price of $499 a month.

The current list price

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