By Bhanvi Satija

LONDON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - WeightWatchers' CEO

said on Wednesday it plans to offer Novo Nordisk's

much-anticipated Wegovy in pill form if it is launched next year

in the United States, deepening its tie-up with the Danish

obesity drugmaker.

The collaboration is a potential boost for WeightWatchers as

it emerges from bankruptcy and highlights its commitment to

offer branded obesity drugs, unlike rivals that push cheaper

copies in a highly competitive market.

"We have been working with Novo Nordisk ahead of time to

support the launch of oral weight-loss medication,"

WeightWatchers CEO Tara Comonte said in an interview.

"A lot of people don't want an injection. And the

convenience of a pill is going to be huge," she said.

Weight loss pills from Novo and rival Eli Lilly ( LLY ) are

under consideration for a new, speedy U.S. review pathway that

can shave months from the normal approval process.

WeightWatchers could keep more customers on its platform

than telehealth rivals, as doctors expect U.S. patients to

switch to the branded medicines once prices come down under a

deal announced last week by the White House.

Lilly and Novo agreed to slash prices of their popular GLP-1

injectable drugs for U.S. government health programs and

cash-paying customers.

Starter doses of the weight-loss pills, if approved, will

cost $149 a month for Medicare and Medicaid enrollees and for

cash payers through the U.S. administration's new TrumpRx site.

"Anything that brings pricing down for these medications is

good for WeightWatchers," Comonte said.

WeightWatchers is also trying to gain a stronger foothold in

women's health, including through tailored programs that offer

GLP-1 medicines and hormone replacement therapy.

Outside of the U.S., Germany and the UK are major markets

for WeightWatchers, which had 4 million subscribers worldwide at

the end of 2023.