Eli Lilly cuts Zepbound prices in competitive weight loss drug market battle

Eli Lilly on Monday announced new price cuts for its popular weight loss drug Zepbound, broadening access for patients and driving greater use of the company’s digital healthcare platform, LillyDirect.Single-dose vials of Zepbound purchased through the Zepbound Self Pay Journey Program on LillyDirect will now cost $299 per month – down from $349 – for patients with a valid prescription.The 5-milligram dose will also be priced at $399 per month, down from $499. All other approved doses will cost $449 per month, Eli Lilly said.LillyDirect, which launched in early 2024, allows some consumers who lack insurance or who are insured or lack adequate coverage to access Zepbound and Mounjaro directly from Eli Lilly through its Zepbound Self Pay Journey Program. TRUMP ANNOUNCES DEAL WITH DRUGMAKERS TO LOWER COST OF WEIGHT LOSS DRUGSRegular prices per month when not purchased through the Zepbound Self-Pay Journey Program are $599 for 7.5 milligrams, $699 for 10 milligrams, $849 for 12.5 milligrams, $1,049 for 15 milligrams, according to the pharmaceutical giant.WEGOVY, OZEMPIC: THE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING THESE WEIGHT LOSS DRUGSThe move comes less than a month after Eli Lilly announced plans to lower prices for Zepbound multi-dose pens, though that is still subject to approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Starting as early as April 2026, Medicare patients will pay no more than $50 a month for Zepbound sold in a multi-dose pen and for orforglipron, Lilly’s once-a-day weight loss pill, as long as both drugs are approved by the FDA. For self-pay patients, the Zepbound multi-dose pen will be available at the lowest dose at $299, with additional doses up to $449. When patients refill their multi-dose pen prescription on the LillyDirect digital health platform, they will pay no more than $449. Orforglipron will be available with the lowest dose starting at $149 with additional doses up to $399, the company previously said.MAJOR HEALTH INSURERS SCALING BACK MEDICARE ADVANTAGE OFFERINGS IN 2026Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have launched their own direct-to-consumer platforms aimed at expanding patient access by limiting the barriers new patients face. While both companies say these platforms will help new patients get access to their medications, they also give each company a competitive edge.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERENovo Nordisk launched its platform, NovoCare Pharmacy, in March, allowing patients who couldn’t afford the standard list price or lacked insurance coverage for its weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei FOX Business Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei FOX Business