Eli Lilly headquarters located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Although the GLP-1 drug Zepbound has been shown to be effective in promoting weight loss, availability and price have been barriers to more widespread use by patients.
In August, manufacturer Eli Lilly responded by offering Zepbound vials in 2.5 milligram and 5 milligram dosage strengths through its online LillyDirect pharmacy at a discount of 50% or more compared to the list price of other GLP-1 medicines for obesity. “Our goal is to break down barriers and provide patients with safe and effective options they can rely on,” said Patrik Jonsson, president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and Lilly USA.
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The price of Zepbound vials is less than the list price of the normal packages of Zepbound sold through retail pharmacies, which cost $1,059.87 a month and come in a prefilled autoinjector pen, rather than a vial full of liquid that patients must draw into a syringe themselves.
The company announced this week that it will partner with Ro, a direct-to-consumer health and wellness company, to provide lower-priced, single-dose vials of Zepbound. The vials will be available as a treatment option with an on-label prescription from a Ro-affiliated provider through integration with the LillyDirect self-pay pharmacy channel. This offering will make it easier for Ro’s clinically eligible patients to get the medication delivered directly to them at the self-pay price.
“Offering Zepbound single-dose vials -- the most affordable branded incretin medicine by list price -- through another platform to LillyDirect will help ensure broader availability of rigorously tested, FDA-approved and regulated obesity treatment," Jonsson said.
The 2.5mg and 5mg single-dose vials of Zepbound are available for $399 a month and $549 a month, respectively, by cash, making them more accessible to people without insurance coverage for the drugs.
"Lilly's release of Zepbound single-dose vials at a lower, self-pay-only price was groundbreaking and reflects the patient-centric model upon which Ro was founded,” said Zach Reitano, cofounder and CEO of Ro. “This integration further streamlines access to the only approved dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist without patients ever having to leave the Ro app, let alone leave their home. We look forward to continuing to fight for patients."
Some industry analysts said the partnership appears to be an effort for Lily to get a toehold in the online marketplace where it can compete directly with compounders.
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Alan Goforth
Alan Goforth is a freelance writer in suburban Kansas City. In addition to freelancing for several publications, he has written a dozen books about sports and other topics.
