Eli Lilly discounts Zepbound as price war over weight loss drugs heats up

Eli Lilly on Monday announced that it is lowering the cash price of Zepbound single-dose vials in the U.S. The price change applies to the self-pay option available through the LillyDirect pharmacy, the company said. Patients paying cash for the weight loss drug can now get a starting dose of Zepbound vials for $299 per month, down from $349 per month.

"Lowering the price of Zepbound single-dose vials is one way we are responding to the critical need for more affordable options," Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks said in a statement. "We remain committed to providing solutions that address the burden of chronic diseases for patients across the country."

The announcement came just weeks after rival Novo Nordisk said it was offering a two-month introductory price of $199 a month for U.S.-based cash buyers of its top-selling diabetes and weight loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy. Novo Nordisk also lowered the "standard" price for existing cash buyers to $349 a month from $499. Those discounts made Novo Nordisk’s drugs price-competitive with Eli Lilly’s Zepbound.

Novo Nordisk and Lilly’s drugs all work by targeting the GLP-1 hormone that controls appetite. The drugs carry a list price of $1,000 and up per month, though considerable discounts and rebates are available to bring the price down.

The price cuts come after both companies reached an agreement with the Trump administration to reduce the cost of pre-filled pens next year for Wegovy and Zepbound to $350 per month on the TrumpRx portal, trending down to $245 per month over a two-year period. The drugs will also be available to some Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries for the treatment of weight loss for the first time.

A recent poll by KFF found that almost 13% of U.S. adults are currently taking a GLP-1 drug and 25% of those are paying for the drugs out-of-pocket.

—Catherine Arnst contributed to this article.