March 24, 2025 — There’s no denying it. More people are getting access to care for obesity than ever before. In part this is because health professionals have a range of tools for providing that care. GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide are a big part of that.But those drugs carry a price tag that is blowing up pharmacy […]
March 11, 2025 — Drug development is tricky. If you want evidence for just how tricky it is, a quick look at the experience with CagriSema will give you a pretty good idea. Yesterday, Novo Nordisk announced topline results of this drug from their REDEFINE 2 clinical trial. Their press release talked about “superior results” for people with overweight […]
March 6, 2025 — Prices are moving quickly for people seeking obesity treatment with semaglutide and tirzepatide. Last week, Lilly offered another price cut for Zepbound. At the time, we noted inaction from Novo Nordisk on this front. But it barely took a week for this formerly unchallenged market leader to step up and respond with a huge price […]
February 26, 2025 — 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 […]
February 7, 2025 — Novo Nordisk and Lilly reported on their business results this week for the final quarter of 2024. These reports brought clarity on a number of points, but to us, one thing stands out. We are moving from euphoria and hype about limitless possibilities in obesity to the realities of market competition and incremental progress. Sales […]
December 20, 2024 — Are we indeed reaching the end of the on-again, off-again supply shortage for GLP-1 obesity medicines? That seems to be what FDA signaled yesterday. The agency posted a brief statement, not only noting its determination that the tirzepatide shortage is “resolved,” but also saying the national GLP-1 supply has begun to stabilize. FDA is looking at […]
December 12, 2024 — These two companies have a history of surprising us and they’ve done it again – this time in a joint initiative. Lilly announced a bold move yesterday to distribute their lower priced vials of tirzepatide for obesity through the telehealth company known as Ro. A spokesperson for Lilly explained the arrangement by saying: “Ro is […]
December 10, 2024 — A pitched battle is underway. The fight is for equitable access to obesity medicines that can be life-changing for people living with obesity. Right now, we have a bit of a stalemate and money is the sticking point. So when Andrew Ross Sorkin put the question of greed, economics, and health to the CEO of […]
December 5, 2024 — Bragging rights. Yesterday, Lilly claimed them for its obesity medicine, the Zepbound brand of tirzepatide. The company announced topline results from a head-to-head trial of tirzepatide vs semaglutide for weight loss in persons with obesity or overweight and at least one obesity-related complication. It should be no surprise that tirzepatide won this narrowly-defined contest. In […]
November 24, 2024 — FDA is in a quandary about compounding of the new obesity drugs, semaglutide and tirzepatide. The U.S. President-Elect has a nominee to lead FDA with a connection to this compounding kerfuffle. Marty Makary is a surgeon and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He is also Chief Medical Officer for the telehealth company […]
