HQ Team
February 25, 2025: Eli Lilly and Company cut the prices of its weight-loss drug Zepbound, available in single-dose vials, in a bid to end compounding companies from making them at low prices, according to a company statement.
The 7.5 mg and 10 mg single-dose vials will be available at $499 a month with the Zepbound Self Pay Program on the Indianapolis, Indiana-based US company’s website.
The 7.5 mg vials earlier used to cost $599, and 10 mg at $699. Lilly also reduced the price of the 2.5 mg and 5 mg vials. It cut the prices for a month’s supply of those two low doses by around $50 each. They now cost $349 and $499 a month through LillyDirect.
“These new offerings are available exclusively through LillyDirect Self Pay Pharmacy Solutions, which enables a transparent price by removing third-party supply chain entities and allowing patients to access savings directly outside of insurance,” according to the statement.
Refill of higher doses
Patients must refill their prescriptions of the two higher dose vials within 45 days of their first fill to get the same pricing and would otherwise have to pay $699 for repeat prescriptions.
Denmark’s Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss Wegovy sells at $650 a month in the US. Compounding pharmacies charge a much lower price for Wegovy and Zepbound but they have been told to stop selling their versions by the drug regulator Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA has said shortages of the weight-loss drugs have ended. At the same time, compounding pharmacies have challenged the FDA’s decision to stop them from making the drugs.
“Every major medical organization and establishment recognizes obesity as a chronic disease, yet insurance and federal programs do not systematically cover people living with obesity for medical care — this needs to change,” said Patrik Jonsson, executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and Lilly US.
”Lilly is committed to working with all parties to solve this problem, and in the meantime, we’ll continue to implement new options that improve the affordability and availability of our safe, approved and studied Zepbound for patients who are being asked to pay out-of-pocket,” he said.
Additional options
Self-pay patients with obesity now have additional Zepbound vial options, including 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg and 10 mg doses.
Zepbound is also available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, or 15 mg per 0.5 mL doses in a single-dose pen (autoinjector). The recommended maintenance dosages are 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg injected subcutaneously once weekly. Those starting on Zepbound will take Zepbound 2.5 mg for four weeks before increasing their dosage to 5 mg.
The Obesity Action Coalition welcomed Lilly’s move.
It is “another step forward in improving the affordability of obesity treatment,” said Joe Nadglowski, president and CEO of the Obesity Action Coalition. “However, we still have a long way to go in building a health care system that provides comprehensive care, coverage and payment of such care for people with obesity that is free of weight bias.”
Sleep apnea
Zepbound tackles an underlying cause of excess weight. It reduces appetite and how much you eat. Zepbound is indicated for adults with obesity, or some adults who are overweight and also have at least one weight-related medical problem, to lose weight and keep it off, according to the statement.
It is USFDA-approved to treat adults with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea and obesity.
The drug should be used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. It should not be used in children under 18 years of age or with other tirzepatide-containing products or any GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.
