Eli Lilly: Tirzepatide Single-Dose Vials Available for Cash-Pay Patients

Eli Lilly is offering another option for patients to access tirzepatide (Zepbound): Self-pay patients with an on-label prescription can purchase 2.5 mg and 5 mg single-dose vials at a 50% discount vs the list price of other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications available for obesity.¹

This option, noted a Lilly press release, “helps millions of adults with obesity access the medicine they need, including those not eligible for the Zepbound savings card program, those without employer coverage, and those who need to self-pay outside of insurance.”¹

Vials can be purchased through LillyDirect, an end-to-end digital healthcare experience for patients living with obesity, migraine, and diabetes. The platform, which launched in January 2024, includes disease management resources, tailored patient support, and direct home delivery of certain Lilly medications using third-party pharmacy dispensing services.²

“We are excited to share that the Zepbound single-dose vials are now here, further delivering on our promise to increase supply of Zepbound in the US,” said Patrick Jonsson, executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and Lilly USA. “These new vials not only help us meet the high demand for our obesity medicine, but also broaden access for patients seeking a safe and effective treatment option.”

READ MORE: Discussing the Dangers of Buying GLP-1s From Online Pharmacies

Tirzepatide was first added to the FDA’s Drug Shortage Database in December 2022, while competitor drug semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) has been on the shortage list since March 2022. Since then, a proliferation of “counterfeit, fake, unsafe, or untested knock offs” of tirzepatide have flooded the market. In June 2024, the company released an open letter³ to “respond to certain practices we are seeing from others related to our tirzepatide medicines,” including inappropriate use in individuals under 18 years of age, use for cosmetic weight loss, misleading advertisements, unsafe compounded products, and illegal online pharmacies.

Crucially, access to these medications through LillyDirect will require a multi-step verification process to ensure that vials are dispensed only to patients with a valid, on-label electronic prescription.

The Obesity Action Coalition applauded Lilly’s efforts to expand access. “People living with obesity have been denied access to the essential treatment and care needed to manage this serious chronic disease,” said James Zervos, chief operating officer of the Obesity Action Coalition. “Expanding coverage and affordability of treatments is vital to people living with obesity.”

“We commend Lilly for their leadership in offering an innovative solution that brings us closer to making equitable care a reailty,” Zervos continued. “Now, it’s time for policymakers, employers, and insurers to work with pharmaceutical companies to ensure no one is left behind in receiving the care they deserve and need.”

The American Medical Association first recognized obesity as a complex, chronic disease in June 2013. During a House of Delegates meeting, the organization voted to adopt a policy “recognizing obesity as a ‘disease requiring a range of medical interventions to advance obesity treatment and prevention.’”⁴ Despite this, the condition is still frequently misclassified as a lifestyle choice, “resulting in many employers and the federal government excluding medications like Zepbound from insurance coverage,” said Jonsson. “Outdated policies and lack of coverage for obesity medications create an urgent need for more innovative solutions.”

“Bringing Zepbound single-dose vials to patients will help more people living with obesity manage this chronic condition,” he added. “We will also continue to advocate for a system that better aligns with the science.”

Tirzepatide is the first and only GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that a 5 mg dose, coupled with a reduced calorie diet and an increase in physical activity, led to an average 15% weight loss over 72 weeks (vs 3.1% with placebo). Recent topline results from the SURMOUNT-1 study (NCT04184622) also showed that the drug reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 94%,⁵ and a real-world, head to head study with semaglutide showed that tirzepatide is associated with significantly more weight loss in adults with overweight and obesity.⁶

A 4-week supply of a tirzepatide 2.5 mg single-dose vial is priced at $399, or $99.75 per vial. A 4-week supply of a tirzepatide 5 mg single dose vial is priced at $549, or $137.25 per vial. These prices are less than half the list price of other incretin obesity medications, and are on par with savings offered through the company’s program for non-covered individuals.

READ MORE: Obesity Management Resource Center

References

1. Lilly releases Zepbound (tirzepatide) single-dose vials, expanding supply and access for adults living with obesity. News release. Eli Lilly. August 27, 2024. Accessed August 27, 2024. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-releases-zepboundr-tirzepatide-single-dose-vials-expanding

2. Lilly launches end-to-end digital healthcare experience through LillyDirect. News release. Eli Lilly. January 4, 2024. Accessed August 27, 2024. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-launches-end-end-digital-healthcare-experience-through

3. An open letter from Eli Lilly and Company regarding certain practices related to Mounjaro and Zepound. News release. Eli Lilly. June 20, 2024. Accessed August 27, 2024. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/open-letter-eli-lilly-and-company-regarding-certain-practices

4. AMA House of Delegates adopts policy to recognize obesity as a disease. News release. Obesity Medicine Association. June 19, 2013. Accessed August 27, 2024. https://obesitymedicine.org/blog/ama-adopts-policy-recognize-obesity-disease/

5. Massaro L. Tirzepatide demonstrates 94% diabetes reduction, 22% weight loss in SURMOUNT-1 study. Drug Topics. August 21, 2024. Accessed August 27, 2024. https://www.drugtopics.com/view/tirzepatide-demonstrates-94-diabetes-reduction-20-weight-loss-in-surmount-1-study

6. Biscaldi L. Head to head comparison of GLP-1 RAs for weight loss tips scales in tirzepatide’s favor. Drug Topics. July 9, 2024. Accessed August 27, 2024. https://www.drugtopics.com/view/head-to-head-comparison-of-glp-1-ras-for-weight-loss-tips-scales-in-tirzepatide-s-favor