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Diabetes Dialogue: Impact of NovoCare Pharmacy, LillyDirect Self Pay on GLP-1 RA Access
In this episode, hosts discuss the impact of recently launched direct, cash pay options for people using semaglutide and tirzepatide.
Welcome back to Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives!
In the post-shortage era of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), companies involved in the competitive landscape find themselves digging in for an extended battle—either with each other or against recent regulation changes.
While compounding pharmacies are fighting for their right to continue producing compounded versions of semaglutide, tirzepatide, and other GLP-1 RAs, the rightful developers of these agents, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly and Company, find themselves engaging in a price war with one another.1,2
In 2024, Eli Lilly and Company launched LillyDirect Self Pay Pharmacy Solutions to improve access by allowing patients to access savings outside of insurance. In late February 2025, the launch of a new Zepbound Self Pay Journey Program was announced, which includes 7.5 mg and 10 mg single-dose vials for $499 as well as reduced pricing for the 2.5 mg and 5 mg doses.1
"Every major medical organization and establishment recognizes obesity as a chronic disease, yet insurance and federal programs do not systematically cover people living with obesity for medical care — this needs to change," said Patrik Jonsson, executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and Lilly USA.1
On March 05, 2025, Novo Nordisk announced the launch of the NovoCare Pharmacy, a direct-to-patient delivery option that offers cash-paying patients all dose strengths of Wegovy at a reduced cost of $499 per month. According to the release from Novo Nordisk, the company plans to update the overall savings offer for semaglutide so that cash-paying patients who use traditional retail pharmacies will also benefit from this lower price.2
"With NovoCarePharmacy, patients and prescribers alike have another option that provides convenient access to all doses of real, FDA-approved Wegovy® at a reduced cost in our high-quality pen,” said Dave Moore, executive vice president of US Operations and Global Business Development and president of Novo Nordisk.2
In this episode of Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives, hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and codirector of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, program director of Diabetes Technology at University Hospitals Diabetes and Metabolic Care Center, breakdown what the latest developments in the GLP-1 RA affordability and accessibility battles mean for providers and patients.
Relevant disclosures for Isaacs include Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Abbott Diabetes Care, Dexcom, Medtronic, and others. Relevant disclosures for Bellini include Abbott Diabetes Care, MannKind, Provention Bio, and others.
References:
Eli Lilly and Company. Lilly launches additional Zepbound vial doses and offers new savings for self-pay patients. Eli Lilly and Company. February 25, 2025. Accessed March 16, 2025. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-launches-additional-zepbound-vial-doses-and-offers-new.
Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk introduces NovoCare® Pharmacy, lowering cost of all doses of FDA-approved Wegovy® (semaglutide) to $499 per month and offering easy home delivery for cash-paying patients. Novo Nordisk. March 5, 2025. Accessed March 16, 2025. https://www.novonordisk-us.com/media/news-archive/news-details.html?id=915288.
