WeightWatchers Makes Nasdaq Comeback, Targets Menopause
From bankruptcy to breakthrough, WeightWatchers relists, retools and makes a play for the menopause market just as Millennials show increased interest in using GLP-1s
WeightWatchers has completed its financial reorganization and relisted on Nasdaq under the ticker WW, emerging with an expanded leadership team and a new strategy centered on medical-grade weight management and women’s midlife health. The move comes as the so-called “Millenopause” era begins, with older Millennials entering perimenopause and showing increased openness to weight loss medications, according to a recent survey.
Further signaling its shift toward clinical care, WeightWatchers has deepened its partnership with pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk to expand access to Wegovy, an FDA-approved GLP-1 medication, through its online WeightWatchers Clinic platform. For its part, Novo Nordisk recently ended a short-lived partnership with telehealth platform Hims & Hers over tensions related to compounded versions of semaglutide.
CEO Tara Comonte called the moves a “pivotal moment” for the company, which has notably positioned itself as one of the few platforms committed to prescribing only FDA-approved weight loss medications. Earlier this spring, WeightWatchers filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a move to reduce debt and reposition the company for long-term growth.
“From broadening our reach into women’s health to strengthening our holistic care model, we’re bringing together medical expertise, behavioral science and trusted community support to meet the evolving needs of our members,” Comonte said. “In a landscape dominated by noise, quick fixes and conflicting advice, WeightWatchers continues to lead as the most trusted, science-backed platform, proven to drive better results and lasting impact.”
The storied weight management company, long synonymous with its points-based diets, has appointed Dr. Kim Boyd as chief medical officer. Boyd, a veteran of One Medical, Calibrate, Caire, Galileo and Nurx, will lead clinical strategy. Later this year, WeightWatchers will launch a program focused on perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause that combines medical support, behavioral coaching, nutrition guidance and community tools, marking a bid to move beyond weight loss and address the overlooked gaps in care for midlife women.
As WeightWatchers broadens its clinical focus, Boyd says the company is uniquely positioned to meet the growing demand for sustainable, medically informed weight care with GLP-1s, lifestyle changes and community support.
“WeightWatchers’ mission has never been more important, with nearly three-quarters of Americans and more than two billion people around the world affected by obesity or excess weight,” Dr. Boyd said. “We know just how profoundly weight impacts long-term health. For more than six decades, WeightWatchers has supported tens of millions of people on their weight loss journeys. We believe everyone deserves access to comprehensive care for sustainable weight health so they can live healthier, longer lives.”
To support its evolution, WeightWatchers has named Uta Knablein (formerly of iHeartMedia, Nickelodeon and JPMorgan Chase) as chief product officer.
The company has also assembled a new board of directors that reflects its growing focus on medical care and digital health. Among the new appointees is Mike Mason, former president of Eli Lilly’s diabetes and obesity division. He joins Fallon O’Connor, vice president of global communications at Airbnb, Eugene I. Davis, chairman and CEO of Prinate Consulting Group, J. Carney Hawks, former founding partner of Brigade Capital Management and Nikolaj Sjoqvist, managing member of Katalyst Advisory. Existing directors Comonte and Julie Bornstein, CEO and founder of Daydream, will continue to serve on the board.
“I’m excited to join WeightWatchers at such a pivotal moment in the evolution of obesity care,” Mason said. “As medical treatments like GLP-1s become more widely used, the need for trusted, comprehensive care models that combine medication with lasting lifestyle change has never been greater. WeightWatchers brings unmatched clinical credibility, behavioral expertise, and member trust to this space, and I’m proud to support the team as they lead the industry forward with integrity and innovation.”