Eli Lilly and Co. joined an increasing number of businesses in facilitating patients’ access to popular weight-loss medications via telehealth.
To help patients in the United States who are managing their diseases due to obesity, diabetes, or migraines, the pharmaceutical company created a website called LillyDirect. Through this website, patients can work with independent healthcare providers and receive direct home delivery of certain Lilly medications through third-party pharmacy dispensing services.
On Thursday, Lilly’s shares increased for the fourth day in a row.
CEO of Eli Lilly David Ricks stated, “A complex U.S. healthcare system adds to the burdens patients face when managing a chronic disease,” and the new website aims to “relieve some of those burdens by simplifying the patient experience.”
Less than two months had passed since the FDA authorized tripeptide, a medication made by Lilly, to treat obesity when the website went live.
The medication, which is marketed under the brand name Zepbound, was authorized particularly for individuals who are obese or overweight and who also have health conditions linked to their weight, such as Type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, or hypertension.
Under the brand name Mounjaro, tirzepatide was previously approved to treat Type 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, Mounjaro was also being used “off label” to treat obesity due to its benefits on weight loss.
Tirzepatide belongs to a class of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, which have become more well-liked due to their capacity to aid in weight loss.
Semaglutide, the active component of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (licensed for the treatment of Type 2 diabetic patients) and Wegovy (authorized for chronic weight control), is another GLP-1 receptor agonist.
As the demand for these treatments continued to soar and earnings continued to rise, numerous companies began to capitalize on them.
In an attempt to revive its company, WeightWatchers introduced a new program last month that caters to customers who take prescription drugs for weight loss.
The WeightWatchers GLP-1 Program provides “tailored behavioral support for individuals on a GLP-1 medication,” as stated by the firm that delivers it.
In the meantime, the telehealth startup Ro launched a fresh marketing initiative last year with the goal of de-stigmatizing treatment for obesity. The corporation had covered the New York City subway system in advertisements for its Body Program, which provides patients with access to highly sought-after obesity medications like Ozempic and Wegovy.