A sign posted in front of Genentech’s offices in South San Francisco, California on June 12, 2025.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
RocheGenentech became the latest company to enter the direct-to-consumer space, announcing Thursday that it will sell its influenza drug Xofluza directly to certain patients at a discount to expand access.
The move follows similar moves by other drug companies to simplify how Americans get their medicines and comes as companies face pressure from the Trump administration to lower U.S. drug prices.
Genentech’s new program is being launched ahead of influenza season, which typically peaks in the winter. The 2024-2025 influenza season was the worst in more than a decade, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Genentech’s new program aims to reach patients who are uninsured, have limited coverage, or whose plan does not cover the pill, according to the release.
The company plans to offer access to Xofluza through three pharmacies, with a $50 cash payment option that is 70% cheaper than the pill’s current list price before insurance coverage. This includes Mark Cuban’s direct-to-consumer pharmacy Cost Plus Drug Company. Amazon Pharmacy and Fuse Health Alto Pharmacy.
Genentech says same-day delivery is available through the latter two pharmacies in select markets. For those who wish to use Xofluza as a preventive treatment, home delivery is also available through three pharmacies nationwide.
The pill is a single-dose antiviral treatment for people 5 years and older, usually taken within 48 hours of the onset of flu symptoms. According to some drug pricing websites, Xofluza costs more than $150 per treatment. In addition to the new initiative, Genentech is also offering coupons that allow eligible patients to pay for Xofluza prescriptions starting at $35. You can get up to $70 off at most pharmacies.
In July, President Trump sent a letter to 17 drug companies urging them to take concrete steps to contain costs for patients, including starting a direct-to-consumer model for selling drugs. Companies had until September 29th to respond. pfizer and AstraZeneca Signed a deal with President Trump to lower drug prices.
It was part of his effort to revive a controversial program known as “most-favoured nation treatment,” which aims to tie the price of some drugs in the United States to significantly lower prices overseas.
