700,000 new elderly patients entered the market, and LLY.US (LLY.US) took over 70%: the first Medicare weight loss drug coverage war report released

The Zhitong Finance App learned that LY.US (LLY.US) CEO Dave Ricks (Dave Ricks) said in an interview on Monday that since Medicare began obesity drug coverage in July, 700,000 new elderly patients have begun using GLP-1 drugs, 70% of whom have used Eli Lilly products.

Rix said the progress of the coverage plan was “very encouraging” and said that its expansion of the wider GLP-1 market was “just what we expected”. His statement provides the latest data: how much Medicare coverage is driving drug accessibility, and who has the upper hand in the battle between Eli Lilly and its top competitor Novo Nordisk for new patients.

The coverage is based on a temporary project called “Bridge,” where eligible beneficiaries pay out of $50 per month to receive weight-loss medications. The federal health insurance program covers approximately 66 million people aged 65 and over or with disabilities.

Eli Lilly's heavy weight loss injection Zepbound appears to be the biggest winner in federal health coverage so far. Through the program, seniors can use Zepbound, Eli Lilly's new weight loss oral medicine Foundayo, and Novo Nordisk competitor Wegovy oral medicine and the blockbuster injection of the same name.

“We have taken down about 70% of our new patients, and many people are still using Zepbound.” He said, “I think doctors are still focusing on patients with the highest body weight and the most complications. That's where Zepbound comes in.”

Rix added that Eli Lilly Foundayo is more effective for patients seeking a convenient treatment plan and “may only need to lose 25 to 30 pounds.” The oral medication went on sale in April, a few months later than similar products from Nord and Nord; however, Rix said one-third of new patients taking oral GLP-1 were using Foundayo.

He said he hasn't heard of too many logistics problems in the progress of the plan, and said that the US Federal Health Insurance and Medicaid Services (CMS) “did a good job of launching”, educated doctors, and cooperated with the two companies and insurance systems.