Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk Reduce GLP-1 Costs in Post-Shortage Era

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In a move to improve affordability and accessibility for patients paying out of pocket for obesity treatments, both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have introduced new direct-to-patient pharmacy programs offering their respective weight loss medications at a reduced cost.

NovoCare Pharmacy, launched by Novo Nordisk, provides cash-paying patients with access to U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved semaglutide (Wegovy) at a fixed price of $499 per month, ensuring a reliable alternative to compounded versions of the drug. Meanwhile, LillyDirect’s Zepbound Self Pay Journey Program now offers single-dose vials of tirzepatide (Zepbound) at the same $499 price point, alongside price reductions for lower-dose options.

These initiatives reflect growing efforts by pharmaceutical companies to address gaps in insurance coverage for obesity treatment, giving patients new options for obtaining high-quality, FDA-approved medications without third-party markups.

“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,” said Patrik Jonsson, executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and Lilly USA.

NovoCare Pharmacy

NovoCare Pharmacy allows patients to receive authentic, FDA-approved semaglutide, which in turn helps to mitigate the significant risks posed by the compounding marketplace.

While 90% of patients receiving semaglutide pay $0 to $25 a month, NovoCare offers significant discounts for patients who do not have insurance coverage or do not have coverage for obesity medications. This helps to ensure that patients prescribed semaglutide injections are still able to access it.

Patients are able to schedule shipments of their prescriptions directly to their home, fulfilled by CenterWell Pharmacy, and can set refill reminders, verify their benefits and access live support from a NovoCare case manager.

“With NovoCare Pharmacy, patients and prescribers alike have another option that provides convenient access to all doses of real, FDA-approved Wegovy at a reduced cost in our high-quality pen,” said Dave Moore, executive vice president, U.S. Operations and Global Business Development and President of Novo Nordisk Inc.

Zepbound Self Pay Journey Program

With the launch of the Zepbound Self Pay Journey Program, patients are now able to receive the tirzepatide 7.5-milligram and 10-milligram single-dose autoinjector pen for $499 per month at first fill and refills that occur within 45 days of prior delivery. Patients are also offered the 5-milligram dose for $499 per month and the 2.5-milligram dose for $349 per month.

These offerings are available exclusively through LillyDirect Self Pay Pharmacy Solutions, which removes third-party supply chain entities, boosting the savings for patients. The digital health platform also offers resources on disease management for patients living with chronic conditions to improve diet, exercise, sleep and stress management while accessing quality care and personalized information.

“The OAC applauds Lilly for another step forward in improving the affordability of obesity treatment,” said Joe Nadglowski, president and CEO of the Obesity Action Coalition. “However, we still have a long way to go in building a health care system that provides comprehensive care, coverage and payment of such care for people with obesity that is free of weight bias.”