Eli Lilly slashes prices of weight-loss drug Zepbound for single-use vials

Drugmaker Eli Lilly said Tuesday it will sell single-use vials of its weight-loss drug Zepbound at a fraction of the price of its pens, amid skyrocketing demand among Americans for anti-obesity medications. 

In doing so, the company aims to expand its supply of the drug, and compete with digital health companies that sell compounded copycat versions of the drugs in vials, with syringes for injection, that are far cheaper than brand-name pens, which are pre-filled with doses. Pharmacies are permitted to sell compounded versions of drugs that are in shortage, according to the Food and Drug Administration. 

"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.