Worth noting, CVS Caremark—the biggest PBM in the U.S.— announced in May that it would make Novo Nordisk’s rival drug Wegovy (semaglutide) the preferred obesity GLP-1 on its formulary. The move was expected to boost access to Wegovy in The States—albeit likely at the expense of that for Lilly’s Zepbound.

Eli Lilly said on Thursday its experimental weight-loss pill met most criteria for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's new national priority voucher, suggesting it is a strong candidate for a significantly accelerated approval review.

Together, Mounjaro and Zepbound brought in $11.98 billion in the third quarter even with price decreases for the medicines.

Wegovy Zepbound cost-effectiveness report finds both drugs remain valuable at higher prices despite affordability concerns, per ICER analysis.

U.S. sales of Lilly’s weight-loss treatment Zepbound nearly tripled, to $3.57 billion, in the third quarter. Meanwhile, revenue from the diabetes drug Mounjaro, which has been on the market longer, has doubled, to $6.52 billion, thanks to growth outside the U.S.

GLP-1 drugs, synthetic versions of a natural hormone, are revolutionizing weight loss and type 2 diabetes treatment. By mimicking the body's satiety signals and slowing digestion, these medications help individuals eat less and lose significant weight.

Eli Lilly reported higher profit and raised its outlook on surging demand for its weight-loss drugs, sending its shares higher.

Eli Lilly hiked its outlook as sales soared for its popular weight-loss drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro.  The company also recently announced a partnership with Walmart that will expand access to Zepbound.

In the third quarter, Lilly earned $7.02 per share on an adjusted basis, far above the $5.69 analysts were expecting, according to LSEG. Revenue came in at $17.6 billion, topping forecasts of $16.01 billion.

With quarterly revenue up 54% from a year ago, Eli Lilly raised it guidance for the year, with the company now expecting revenue in the range of $63 billion to $63.5 billion