Eli Lilly cuts Zepbound price to widen access for obesity drug (source Reuters.com)
Dec 1 (Reuters) – Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab said on Monday it has lowered the price of single-dose vials of its popular obesity drug Zepbound to make the treatment more affordable for U.S. patients, as demand for weight-loss therapies surges.
Patients with a prescription can now buy the starting dose of 2.5 mg for $299 per month, down from $349, through LillyDirect, the drugmaker’s online healthcare platform. Price for the 5 mg dose drops to $399 from $499, while higher doses will now be available at $449 per month under Lilly’s Zepbound Self Pay Journey Program, down from $499 previously. The move comes a month after Lilly announced similar price cuts for Zepbound multi-dose pens, which are awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“Far too many people who need obesity treatments still face cost and coverage barriers,” said Lilly executive Ilya Yuffa.
The price cuts come as Lilly rides a wave of surging demand for weight-loss medications that has propelled the Indianapolis-based company’s market capitalization to historic heights.
Last month, Lilly became the first drugmaker to reach a $1 trillion market value, joining an elite club previously dominated by tech giants.