The news: Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly GLP-1 weight loss drugs benefit patients’ long-term health, but not enough to justify the cost, according to new University of Chicago research.
The study found that Novo would have to lower the price of Wegovy (semaglutide) to $127 per month, while Lilly would have to drop Zepbound (tirzepatide) to $361 to be cost-effective. List prices of the drugs hover around $1,000 per month, although both offer cash-pay discounts: NovoCare Pharmacy charges $499 for Wegovy while LillyDirect’s D2C ranges from $349 to $599 for Zepbound.
Why it matters: Commercial insurance coverage for GLP-1s is dropping, and the current administration does not support expanding gov’t plans to cover the meds for obesity.