Biotech
Wednesday, December 6th, 2023 3:50 pm EDT
Key Points
- Market Entry and Supply Issues: Eli Lilly has announced the availability of its newly approved weight loss treatment, Zepbound, at pharmacies across the United States. Zepbound enters the market as an alternative to rival obesity drugs like Wegovy, which has been facing supply shortages along with other medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro. With the ongoing supply challenges, Zepbound, containing the same active ingredient as Mounjaro, aims to capitalize on the demand for weight loss treatments.
- Commercial Savings Card Program: Eli Lilly has introduced a commercial savings card program to enhance access to Zepbound. Patients with health insurance coverage for Zepbound may benefit from reduced costs, paying as low as $25 for a one- or three-month prescription of the weekly injection. For those without insurance coverage, the cost may be as low as $550 for a one-month prescription, approximately half the drug’s list price. This program is part of Eli Lilly’s strategy to make Zepbound more accessible to a broader patient population.
- Formulary Inclusion and Collaborative Efforts: Zepbound has been added to the preferred formulary (list of covered drugs) of major drug benefits company Cigna. Scheduled to be included in the commercial formularies of Cigna’s health-care business on December 15, this inclusion expands the reach of Zepbound. Eli Lilly emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts with employers, government entities, and healthcare industry partners to remove barriers and ensure the availability of Zepbound to those in need. Rhonda Pacheco, Eli Lilly’s group vice president for diabetes and obesity, highlights the necessity for collaborative work beyond the drug’s availability in U.S. pharmacies.
Eli Lilly has announced the availability of its recently approved weight loss treatment, Zepbound, at pharmacies across the United States. Zepbound, an injection administered once weekly, serves as an alternative to rival obesity drugs, particularly Wegovy, facing supply issues. The weight loss drug market is anticipated to grow to about $100 billion by the end of the decade, reflecting high demand for such treatments.
Amid widespread shortages of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug Ozempic, and Eli Lilly’s diabetes treatment Mounjaro, Zepbound, which shares the same active ingredient as Mounjaro, has an opportunity to capture market share. The ongoing supply challenges have prompted companies to increase production to meet the rising demand for weight loss treatments.
To enhance access to Zepbound, Eli Lilly has introduced a commercial savings card program. Under this program, patients with insurance coverage for Zepbound may pay as low as $25 for a one- or three-month prescription of the weekly injection. For those without insurance coverage, the cost may be as low as $550 for a one-month prescription, approximately half the drug’s list price.
Furthermore, Eli Lilly has announced that Zepbound has been added to the preferred formulary of major drug benefits company Cigna. The drug will be incorporated into the commercial formularies of Cigna’s health-care business on December 15, contributing to its broader availability.
Zepbound’s mechanism of action involves activating two naturally produced hormones in the body: glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). This combination aims to slow the emptying of the stomach, leading to a prolonged feeling of fullness and appetite suppression by slowing hunger signals in the brain.
In a statement, Rhonda Pacheco, Eli Lilly’s Group Vice President for Diabetes and Obesity, emphasized that while the availability of Zepbound in U.S. pharmacies is a crucial step, collaboration with employers, government entities, and healthcare industry partners is necessary to remove barriers and ensure the drug’s accessibility to those who need it. Zepbound’s market entry adds to the evolving landscape of weight loss treatments and addresses the challenges posed by supply shortages of competing drugs in this therapeutic category.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/12/05/eli-lilly-weight-loss-drug-zepbound-available-at-us-pharmacies.html
