Eli Lilly launched a service to sell its weight-loss drugs directly to the public. That pits the company against startups such as Ro and Noom that have fed the frenzy over GLP-1 medications by making them easy to access online.
The drugmaker's new digital healthcare platform, dubbed LillyDirect, will help connect patients with obesity, diabetes and migraines to doctors who can prescribe medications including Mounjaro and Zepbound, the company said in a statement Thursday. It will also offer direct home delivery of certain drugs through third-party pharmacies, Lilly has partnered with closely-held Form Health, a virtual weight loss program, on obesity and will work with 9amHealth on its diabetes offerings.
Read more: Lasting weight loss won't come from the pharmacy alone
The company suggested that by purchasing directly from the drugmaker, patients might wind up saving money on drugs still often not covered by insurance.
"By obtaining medicines directly from Lilly, patients can easily access Lilly's affordability solutions and savings card opportunities are automatically applied for patients who qualify," the company said in a statement.
A suite of companies, among them Teladoc Health, Ro, Noom, and WW International, also known as WeightWatchers, have moved into prescribing drugs made by Lilly and rival Novo Nordisk A/S as demand soars. But it's unusual for a pharmaceutical company to provide such services directly. Most obesity drug prescribing programs tend to provide access to a clinician who can write a prescription, along with other services like nutrition counseling or help getting insurance coverage for medication, all for a monthly fee.
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Patients have flocked to the programs, which are heavily marketed. Ro widely advertised weight loss drugs throughout the New York subways and on social media, feeding the conception that the drugs are for anyone looking to lose weight. That's led to concerns about the medications increasingly being prescribed off-label for weight loss to patients who do not have diabetes or obesity.
"Mounjaro and Zepbound are indicated for the treatment of serious diseases; they are not approved for — and should not be used for — cosmetic weight loss," Lilly said in a separate statement Thursday morning.
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The drugs are only approved for weight loss in people who have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes or obesity. Weight-loss drugs have become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon after social media influencers on TikTok and celebrities such as Elon Musk touted Novo's Ozempic and Wegovy, which have similar effects. The demand prompted supply troubles, which impacted the ability of people with diabetes to get their medications.
Lilly did not outline any additional steps it is taking to prevent off-label use. The company also said it was concerned about knock-off versions of its medicines that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, some of which have been found to contain impurities.
