Weight loss drugs have revolutionized the treatment of obesity, but their high price has put them out of reach for many Americans. Eli Lilly is trying to bring the cost down a bit.
The company that makes drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound just announced that it has launched single-dose vials of the latter. As a result, Zepbound will be available for almost half the regular price.
This is a big step in the weight loss world. Here’s what you need to know about it.
Meet the expert: Mir Ali, MD, a board-certified bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
What’s different about this version of Zepbound?
To begin with, this version of Zepbound is unchanged, that is, it is still tirzepatide, an FDA-approved drug to aid weight loss in adults who are obese or overweight.
However, the classic Zepbound was administered with an auto-injector that patients could use at home. This form of Zepbound is sold as an ampoule that must be administered with a syringe, although patients can still do this themselves.
“It’s not too difficult to use a syringe,” says Mir Ali, MD, a board-certified bariatric surgeon and medical director of the MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif. “Diabetics have been doing this for a long time. I don’t think people will have much difficulty learning it.”
Are Zepbound, Mounjaro and Ozempic the same?
Zepbound and Mounjaro are both brand names for tirzepatide. However, Ozempic is a brand name for semaglutide, a different drug. (The weight loss drug Wegovy is also a semaglutide drug.)
Although all of these medications are injectable medicines that can help with weight loss, research has shown that people appear to lose more weight with tirzepatide.
How much will it cost?
The cost varies slightly depending on the dosage. For a four-week supply of 2.5 milligrams of Zepbound, you’ll pay $399 (or $99.75 per vial). However, for a four-week supply of the 5-milligram dose, you’ll have to shell out $549 (or $137.25 per vial). That’s about half the list price of the current form of Zepbound.
The prices are similar to what you would pay under Eli Lilly’s savings programs for people without health insurance, but have now been expanded to include people who are not eligible for the program, such as those with Medicare.
How do I get Zepbound?
As always, you will need a prescription from a licensed physician. There, you can purchase either the vials or the auto-injector form of Zepbound, depending on your doctor’s recommendation and your budget.
With the new form of Zepbound, patients with a valid prescription can purchase the vials from LillyDirect, a self-pay pharmacy founded by Eli Lilly. Patients can also purchase supplies such as syringes and needles and have access to instructions on how to properly administer the medication, according to Eli Lilly.
Eli Lilly cited the “proliferation of counterfeit, fake, unsafe or untested imitations” of Zepbound as the reason for introducing single-use vials, stressing that this was a safer route. Many companies have been selling compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide that are not FDA-approved.
“If you get a compounded drug from a legitimate pharmacy, it’s the same drug in generic form,” Ali says. “But if you get it from the manufacturer, it tends to be more reliable.”
Ali says other companies could follow Eli Lilly’s example. “If they see a sudden increase in sales as a result, they’ll want to do it,” he says.
Overall, Ali said, this is a good move for the industry. “Anything that helps reduce costs and makes it more accessible to everyone is great,” he says.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends. Her work appears in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives on the beach, and hopes to one day own a mini pig and a taco truck.
