Topline
Zepbound, drugmaker Eli Lilly’s rebranded diabetes drug intended for weight loss, is now available in U.S. pharmacies less than a month after receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration — joining the ranks of other popular weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy, which are facing shortages.
People who are commercially insured but don’t have coverage for Zepbound could be eligible to pay ... [+]
Key Facts
Zepbound, generically called tirzepatide, is a weekly injection intended for adults who have obesity or are overweight with at least one weight-related medical issue such as type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
People with obesity can get a prescription to Zepbound in six different doses from 2.5 milligrams to 15 milligrams that can be filled at retail and mail-order pharmacies, according to Eli Lilly.
Eli Lilly’s commercial savings card program, which is meant to help adults whose insurance doesn’t cover Zepbound to afford it, is also available in U.S. pharmacies.
People who are commercially insured but don’t have coverage for Zepbound could pay $550 — about half the list price of $1,060 — for a one-month prescription.
Meanwhile, commercially insured people who have coverage for the drug could pay $25 for a month or three month prescription.
In clinical trials, a weekly 15 milligram dose of Zepbound was shown to reduce weight by 22.5%— an average of 52 pounds for a person with a median weight of 231 pounds — in 72 weeks.
Key Background
Before earning FDA approval under the name Zepbound last month, tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, was already FDA approved and marketed as the weekly diabetes drug injection, Mounjaro. Zepbound is a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonist, which activates hormone receptors that reduce appetite and food intake. The drug also mimics the GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) hormone that releases insulin and controls blood sugar levels after eating. Along with Zepbound, the FDA has approved two other similar drugs for weight loss — Wegovy and Saxenda — while the diabetes drug Ozempic, commonly prescribed to treat obesity, has not been approved as a weight loss treatment. According to the FDA, around 70% of American adults are obese or overweight, and many people who are overweight have a weight-related condition. Zepbound should be used with a reduced-calorie diet, and people who take the drug should increase physical activity, Eli Lilly said.
Surprising Fact
When the FDA approved Zepbound last month, it said it was unknown whether the drug causes tumors, including thyroid cancer, in humans. Now, Eli Lilly is warning that the drug “may cause tumors in the thyroid, including thyroid cancer.”
Further Reading
A new weight loss drug could become the best-selling drug of all time. Who can afford it? (NBC News)
