Eli Lilly on Thursday launched a website that allows people to order its weight-loss drug Zepbound directly from the drugmaker, while also connecting patients with obesity and other conditions with telemedicine companies. It is understood that the service, called "LillyDirect," was based on last year's extraordinary demand for drugs such as Novo Nordisk's powerful weight loss drug Wegovy.
The obesity drug market is expected to grow to approximately $100 billion by the end of this decade. In addition, WW International (WW.US) and Ro, which provide weight management services, have also expressed interest in this market and have launched telemedicine services for these drugs.
Lilly said its direct-to-consumer service will also be available for people with diabetes and migraines, with the website's pharmacy page listing home delivery of migraine drug Emgality, insulin and similar products.
The site will connect patients with independent telemedicine providers who can supplement current physician teams or become an alternative to in-person care for certain conditions. In addition, the website will provide pharmacy services through third parties.
It is worth mentioning that the obesity drug market is expected to grow to approximately US$100 billion by the end of this decade. In addition, WW International (WW.US) and Ro, which provide weight management services, have also expressed interest in this market and have launched telemedicine services for these drugs.
BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Siegerman said Lilly's move was "ahead of the curve."
"We believe a direct-to-consumer model for obesity drugs is ideal to promote drug use and lower the barrier for new patients to start using Zepbound," he added.
Eli Lilly's stock rose 2.2% to a record high of $631.18 on Thursday.
The company's shares have risen 59% in the last year on optimistic expectations for Zepbound, which launched last month, making it the largest healthcare company by market value.
Lilly also said it opposed the use of its obesity and diabetes drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound for "cosmetic weight loss."