Eli Lilly cuts Zepbound prices again

Eli Lilly is expanding the supply and cutting the costs of its weight-loss drug Zepbound, broadening access to more patients without insurance. 

The company launched 7.5 mg and 10 mg vials of tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Zepbound, which typically cost $599 and $699, respectively. However, they are now available for $499 per month for patients paying without insurance. This applies to the first fill and all refills that are delivered every 45 days. 

Additionally, the company lowered the prices of the 2.5 mg and 5 mg vials to $349 and $499 per month, respectively.

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The company, which has seen a significant boost in profits from Zepbound and Mounjaro – essentially the same drug with different FDA-approved uses – announced that the new vials and pricing are exclusively available through the company’s self-pay pharmacy, LillyDirect Self Pay Pharmacy Solutions.

The company said its own self-pay program removes third-party supply chain entities, “allowing patients to access savings directly outside of insurance.” 

Eli Lilly is expanding the supply and cutting the costs of its weight-loss drug Zepbound, broadening access to more patients without insurance. (Shelby Knowles/Bloomberg via / Getty Images)

“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,” Patrik Jonsson, president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health, said in a statement. 

Jonsson said the company is “committed to working with all parties to solve this problem” and will “continue to implement new options that improve the affordability and availability” of the blockbuster drug, which continues to surge in demand. 

This isn’t the first time Lilly has expanded the supply of its weight-loss drug and cut its cost to effectively compete in the highly lucrative market. 

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The pharmaceutical giant announced in August it was offering 2.5 mg and 5 mg single-dose vials of tirzepatide for the first time in response to growing demand. At the time, Lilly said the doses were also “priced at a 50% or greater discount compared to the list price of all other incretin (GLP-1) medicines for obesity.” 

Eli Lilly headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. (iStock / iStock)

GLP-1 agonists are a class of Type 2 diabetes drugs that improve blood sugar control but may also lead to weight loss. Semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic, as well as tirzepatide, are considered GLP-1 drugs.  

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Lilly reported earlier this month that its revenue in the latest fiscal quarter jumped 45% with its new products contributing more than $3.1 billion, driven mainly by strong demand for Mounjaro and Zepbound.

The company also reported that as more patients used Lilly Direct, the uptake of single-use Zepbound vials increased during the three-month period.  

“Wholesalers have been fulfilling orders from pharmacies at very high levels,” CEO David Ricks told analysts. 

The drug is available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, or 15 mg per 0.5 mL doses in a single-dose pen.