Eli Lilly Cracks Down on Cheaper Copies of Its Weight-Loss Drugs

Eli Lilly is ramping up its fight against off-brand versions of its popular appetite-suppressing drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound, claiming the shortage is over and introducing a new discounted product. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not officially declared the shortage resolved, Eli Lilly insists that supplies of these drugs are now sufficient.

Eli Lilly Urges Doctors to Stop Prescribing Generic Versions of Mounjaro, Zepbound

The company is actively communicating with healthcare providers, urging them to stop prescribing compounded versions of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound. Eli Lilly has also launched a cheaper, safer alternative to off-brand medications, aiming to regain market control.

Eli Lilly's move comes in response to a surge in generic versions of their drugs, which started after the FDA listed tirzepatide and other active ingredients on its shortage list in 2022. This allowed specialized compounding pharmacies to make their versions of these medications.

In a recent effort to curb the spread of off-brand versions, Eli Lilly sent letters to healthcare providers, warning them to stop using compounded tirzepatide. According to The Washington Post, the company has made significant progress in increasing the supply of the drug, and the FDA has received all necessary doses to assess the shortage situation.

Eli Lilly's New Cost-Effective Drug Versions

While the FDA has not yet confirmed the end of the shortage, Eli Lilly argues that its drugs are now "commercially available" and should not be copied by pharmacies. The FDA is reviewing whether the existing supply meets the demand to resolve the shortage officially.

Novo Nordisk, a competitor of Lilly, is also facing similar challenges with its weight-loss drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy. Both companies invest heavily in expanding their manufacturing capacities to meet the growing demand for these popular medications.

Novo Nordisk has warned that some doses of Wegovy remain in short supply and semaglutide, the active ingredient in their drugs, is still listed as a shortage item by the FDA.

To make its drugs more accessible, Eli Lilly has introduced a new version of Zepbound at a lower price, offering 2.5-milligram and 5-milligram single-dose vials for $399 and $549 per month, respectively. These vials are available through the company's direct-to-consumer website and are aimed at patients without insurance coverage.

According to CNBC, the move is designed to provide a cost-effective alternative to the expensive autoinjector pens currently used for all Zepbound doses, which cost around $1,060 per month. Patients can administer the medication with a syringe by using vials, making it a more affordable option.