April 3 (Reuters) - Costco Wholesale ( COST ) will offer

its members access to weight-loss programs, including

prescription drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, from online healthcare

services provider Sesame, as the companies expanded their

partnership.

The wholesale retailer's members can subscribe to Sesame's

weight-loss program for $179 for three months, compared with

$195 for non-members, Sesame said in a blog post on Tuesday.

Under the program, a clinician would help the patients with

diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications, and may subscribe

medications, subject to availability, the blog post said.

The subscription does not cover costs of medication or lab

work. The clinicians will work with eligible patients for

medication on a pre-authorization, which could reduce cost

further, the company told Reuters in statement.

Demand for GLP-1 agonists, a class of highly effective

diabetes and obesity drugs, has surged in the last few years,

with thousands of prescriptions being filled out every week in

the United States.

The membership-only retail chain did not immediately respond

to a Reuters request for additional comment. Costco had 130

million members as of Feb. 18, as per the company's website.

Sesame first partnered with Costco last September to offer

outpatient medical care to its members.

In March, Costco missed expectations for second-quarter

revenue, hurt by lower gasoline prices impact and soft

discretionary spend from consumers.

Big-box retailers such as Amazon ( AMZN ) and Walmart ( WMT )

have been offering healthcare services following the

pandemic.

Amazon ( AMZN ) offers virtual primary care service for Prime members

through One Medical, which it bought in 2022.

Walmart ( WMT ) runs primary care centers at its stores and its

membership warehouse club retail chain, Sam's Club, sells GLP-1

drugs through its pharmacies.