Another Selective Price Cut for Zepbound from Lilly
Just days after an FDA ruling that will force most compounders out of the market for obesity medicines, Eli Lilly announced yet another carefully calibrated price cut for its Zepbound brand of tirzepatide. These are direct-to-consumer prices for the product packaged in vials. Specifically, Lilly offered up two new, higher dose vials at a reduced price compared to the autoinjector pens they sell. A month’s supply of a 7.5 mg vial lists at $599. The 10 mg vial has a price of $699. The company also cut the price of lower dose vials – to $349 per month for the 2.5 mg dose and $499 per month for the 5 mg dose.
On top of all that they introduced the “Zepbound Self-Pay Journey Program” which lowers the cost of 7.5 and 10 mg vials to $499 per month, so long as patients are regularly refilling their prescriptions.
Progress in a Messed Up System
This convoluted approach to this price cut is perfectly in tune with the convoluted environment for drug pricing that defines the U.S. market for pharmaceuticals. It’s a mess. But it represents progress toward more equitable pricing.
Joe Nadglowski, President and CEO of the Obesity Action Coalition, noted this, saying:
“The OAC applauds Lilly for another step forward in improving the affordability of obesity treatment. 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.”
The President of Cardiometabolic Health for Lilly, Patrick Jonsson, built upon that sentiment and said:
“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. 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.”
We note that the former market leader in obesity, Novo Nordisk, has not taken any action comparable to this second Zepbound price cut. Though Novo professes concern about access to care, we are not yet seeing action from them.
Right now, the bold action one expects from a market leader is coming from Lilly. Much more is needed.
Click here for more details on this move from Lilly, here, here, here, and here for further reporting.
Equality Before Death, painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau / WikiArt
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February 26, 2025
