08:51 AM EDT, 05/02/2025 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with CVS Health's ( CVS ) response in the third and fourth paragraphs and latest stock moves in the fifth paragraph.)

Eli Lilly ( LLY ) brushed off concerns about the impact of CVS Health's ( CVS ) decision to drop coverage of Lilly's Zepbound weight-loss drug from some of its health plans while retaining rival Novo Nordisk's ( NVO ) Wegovy.

"We're not surprised that this kind of thing was announced," Lilly Chief Executive David Ricks said on an earnings conference call Thursday, according to a FactSet transcript. "We're not interested at all in one-of-one deals of reducing access and choice for doctors and patients."

CVS Health ( CVS ) Vice President of External Affairs David Whitrap said in an email to MT Newswires that while patients now taking Zepbound will be able transition to Wegovy, the company will offer a "case-by-case medical exception process" for those who may need an alternative.

He added that the biggest factor limiting choices for consumer is the cost of the weight-loss drugs set by makers of the GLP-1s. "Because of what CVS Health ( CVS ) announced this week with Novo Nordisk ( NVO ), patients will benefit with broader access to more affordable GLP-1s," he said. "Many US employers currently do not choose to provide benefit coverage for Zepbound or Wegovy."

Lilly shares were up more than 2% in recent premarket activity Friday after closing nearly 12% lower Thursday, while CVS Health ( CVS ) rose 0.7% and Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) added more than 5%.