(Reuters) – Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s obesity drug recently approved by US health authorities, is now available in pharmacies in the United States and would cost some policyholders up to $550 (508.04 euros) per month, or half the list price, the laboratory said on Tuesday.
Insured adults who purchase their supplies from partner pharmacies will be able to pay a minimum of $25.
The treatment will therefore cost more for people with health insurance but without the benefits offered by Eli Lilly.
Zepbound was approved in November, becoming a strong competitor to Novo Nordisk’s powerful Wegovy.
The booming market for weight-loss drugs is expected to reach about $100 billion by the end of the decade.
Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide treatment has been available since 2022 under the name Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, but it was increasingly used for weight loss while Zepbound’s approval was pending.
(Written by Manas Mishra and Khushi Mandowara in Bangalore, Stéphanie Hamel, edited by Kate Entringer)
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