Eli Lilly is expanding its slimming product range and selling it in this extremely lucrative market at half the price of other drugs.

Eli Lilly said Tuesday that in response to rising demand, it is now offering single-dose vials of 2.5 mg and 5 mg of tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Zepbound. In its latest fiscal quarter, the company’s earnings beat Wall Street expectations, largely due to the performance of Mounjaro and Zepbound, which contain the same active ingredient but are intended for different FDA-approved uses.

The new single doses are also “50 percent or more cheaper than the list price of all other incretin (GLP-1) drugs for obesity,” said Eli Lilly.

GLP-1 agonists are a class of drugs for type 2 diabetes that improve blood sugar control but can also lead to weight loss. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic, and tirzepatide are considered GLP-1 drugs.

Study shows: Eli Lilly’s ZEPBOUND reduces type 2 diabetes risk

Eli Lilly said the additional supply will “help millions of adults with obesity get access to the medicines they need.” That includes those who are not eligible for the Zepbound savings card program, those who are not insured by their employer and those who pay outside of their insurance, the pharmaceutical giant said.

A shot of Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug Zepbound. (Eli Lilly)

“These new vials not only help us meet the high demand for our obesity medicine, but also expand access for patients looking for a safe and effective treatment option,” said Patrik Jonsson, president of cardiometabolic health at Lilly.

SHORTAGE OF WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS CREATES A MARKET FOR FAKE MEDICINES

Jonsson cited a clinical study in which a maintenance dose of 5 mg helped patients achieve an average weight loss of 15% after 72 weeks of treatment.

According to Eli Lilly, a recent study also showed that weekly tirzepatide injections significantly reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adults with prediabetes and obesity by 94% compared to a placebo.

A pharmacist displays a package of Mounjaro, an injectable tirzepatide drug used to treat type 2 diabetes from Eli Lilly, at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 29, 2023. (REUTERS/George Frey / Reuters Photos)

As weight loss drugs become increasingly popular, pharmaceutical companies are racing to maintain their market position by launching new products, expanding their current offerings, and undercutting the competition.

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In May, healthcare platform Hims & Hers Health Inc. announced the launch of injectable weight-loss drugs that cost a fraction of the price of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic.

By 2023, according to the American Pharmacists Association, one in 60 adults will have been prescribed a GLP-1 drug.

By 2030, the number of GLP-1 users in the US could reach 30 million, or about 9% of the total population, according to JPMorgan. The market is expected to exceed $100 billion that same year, “equally driven by the use of drugs for diabetes and obesity,” the company said.