We’re reading about Zepbound pricing caveats, PBM testimony

Rise and shine, everyone, another busy day is on the way. We can tell because the official mascots are barking at an unusually high number of doggies walking alongside the Pharmalot campus this morning and the number of motor cars driving by. And we are trying to keep pace. To do so, yes, we are firing up the coffee kettle to brew another cup of stimulation. Our latest choice is hazelnut mocha. Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here is the latest menu of tidbits for you to peruse. On that note, we hope you have a smashing day and conquer the world. …

Eli Lilly garnered widespread praise for launching discounted versions of its blockbuster obesity drug Zepbound, but a deeper look at the announcement suggests the new offering may not expand access as much as the company indicates, STAT explains. Doctors noted that the price of the vials will still be out of reach for many patients, and only the starter doses will be offered in the vials, not the higher doses that many patients need to achieve significant weight loss. Additionally, not all patients will be able to pick up vials; they will only be available to patients who are paying for their own medication without insurance and who exclusively order through Lilly’s online portal. While the discounted price of the new vials is a good step, Lilly’s actions, taken together, signal its primary interest is in expanding its market share and reaching patients it previously could not.

The chairman of a U.S. congressional panel investigating pharmacy benefit managers accused top industry executives of making false statements in testimony last month, Bloomberg Law reports. House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, wrote to executives at CVS Health, UnitedHealth, and Cigna asking them to correct remarks they made during a July hearing. During the hearing, the PBM executives said that they do not steer patients to their own pharmacies or pay them more favorable rates. Comer said those statements contradicted evidence unearthed by his own committee and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which is independently investigating drug middlemen.