(BFM Stock Exchange) – The group specializing in slimming nutrients programs has announced a reorganization and the extension of its range to a program to help women cross menopause. The group had been placed under the bankruptcy regime in the United States, abused by the emergence of anti-obesity treatments.

Pushed to reinvent itself, Weightwatchers (whose official name has been “WW International” since 2019) has expanded its range. Known for its slimming programs, the American company announced in a statement that it would operate a strategic turn towards … menopause.

More precisely, the company will offer a range of services and products to help women get through this period.

“During the year, Weightwatchers will launch a new program for women in perimenopause (a pivotal period before menopause which results in irregular cycles and unpleasant symptoms, editor’s note), menopause and postmenopause,” the company announced in a press release.

“This offer is based on the existing Weightwatchers program by offering tailor -made nutritional and behavioral strategies, as well as access to specialized clinical care, coaching and a community to meet the specific needs of women in metabolic health during this critical period of life,” said the company.

According to Reuters, Weightwatchers, for example, intends to provide, via this program, prescription drugs such as substitute hormone therapy. This treatment amounts to taking medication that reproduce hormones that ovaries secretly secretly secret with menopause, so as to alleviate the symptoms.

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A heavy restructuring

The company explains wanting to tackle a need that is not sufficiently considered by the scientific and medical community.

This diversification of Weightwatchers’ activity occurs at a pivotal moment for the group. The company had placed itself under the “Chapter 11”, the famous American bankruptcy diet in May. The group has just taken out after the validation of a restructuring including the erasure of 70% of its debt, or 1.15 billion dollars, and the takeover in its capital of its creditors (more than 90%).

Weightwatchers has suffered in recent years from the rise of anti-obesity drugs, such as the Novo Nordisk Wegovy or the Zepbound of Eli Lilly. “Extremely popular obesity drugs upset its economic model,” said market specialist John Plassard in May.

In August 2024, the company announced positions of positions (without revealing the number). Bloomberg stated that the group’s activity had been “decimated” by anti-obeessive drugs, which are mulching the demand for slimming diets. Last September, its general manager, Sima Sistani, had been dismissed.

Ploued by the departure of Oprah Winfrey

The company then decided to embark on the marketing of anti-obesity drugs called “Compounded” (or “masterful service”). To simplify, these products constitute some kind of copies of the products of Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly, these products not being recognized by the American health authority, the FDA.

This type of medication is authorized when treatment appears on the list of FDA shortage medicines. This was for a while the case of the Wegovy of Novo Nordisk and the Zepbound of Eli Lilly.

In June Weightwatchers announced an agreement with Novo Nordisk to provide advantageous access to its members in Wegovy.

With these strategic difficulties and a pressure activity model, the group’s financial statements have deteriorated.

In 2024, his income had dropped by 11.7% excluding the exchange after a drop of 14.5% in the previous financial year. Weightwatchers had a net loss of $ 345.7 million after a loss of $ 112 million in 2023.

The action plunged, from more than $ 43 in 2019 to a few tens of hundred last May, when the company’s rating on the Nasdaq had been suspended.

The title had notably dropped in March 2024 after the company announced that the famous television presenter Oprah Winfrey, very popular and very followed in her nutritious choices, had asked not to be renewed on the group’s board of directors.

The title started up on Monday, July 7. This Tuesday the action jumped more than 14% at the start of the session, before seeing this increase fading at 0.7% in the middle of the session.

In addition to its turn to menopause, the company announced on Tuesday the appointment of Kim Boyd to the post of medical director.