Eli Lilly aid on Monday it has lowered the price of single-dose vials of its popular obesity drug Zepbound to make the treatment more affordable for US patients, as demand for weight-loss therapies surge.
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 US 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 capitalisation 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.
Lilly’s stock has climbed more than 39 percent this year, fuelled by explosive growth in the obesity drug market. Sales of its tirzepatide medication, marketed as Zepbound for obesity and Mounjaro for diabetes, have made it the world’s best-selling drug, surpassing Merck’s cancer drug Keytruda.
Zepbound is approved to help adults with obesity or overweight conditions lose excess weight. The medication is also approved to help adults with obesity and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea improve their condition.
In November, Lilly struck a deal with the Trump administration to slash prices of its popular GLP-1 drugs for the Medicare and Medicaid programs, as well as for cash payers.
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