09:21 AM EDT, 08/27/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Eli Lilly ( LLY ) on Tuesday launched a new, cheaper version of its weight-loss drug Zepbound to expand the product's access and meet high demand.

Zepbound, which contains tirzepatide as its active ingredient, will be available in 2.5-milligram and 5 mg single-dose vials for purchase by self-paying patients with valid prescriptions, according to the drugmaker. The move aims to "significantly" expand the supply of the obesity treatment in adults, and make it accessible for patients without insurance coverage, Lilly said.

"These new vials not only help us meet the high demand for our obesity medicine, but also broaden access for patients seeking a safe and effective treatment option," Patrik Jonsson, president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and Lilly USA, said in a statement.

Lilly priced four-week supplies of the 2.5 mg and 5 mg single-dose vials at $399 and $549, respectively. This represents a 50% or more discount versus other incretin medicines for obesity, the company said. The vials will be distributed through a new self-pay pharmacy division of the company's LillyDirect platform.

"Despite obesity being recognized as a serious chronic illness with long-term consequences, it's often misclassified as a lifestyle choice, resulting in many employers and the federal government excluding medications like Zepbound from insurance coverage," according to Jonsson. "Bringing Zepbound single-dose vials to patients will help more people living with obesity manage this chronic condition."

In a clinical study, the 5 mg maintenance dose of tirzepatide helped subjects achieve an average of 15% weight loss over 72 weeks, compared with 3.1% for placebo, Lilly said. Last week, the company reported that tirzepatide "significantly" lowered the risk of progression to type-2 diabetes in obese or overweight adults, based on data from a three-year study.

Earlier in the month, Lilly said it raked in $1.24 billion from Zepbound sales during the second quarter.

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