Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly announced Monday that federal regulators have given the green light for a new delivery system for its popular weight-loss medication Zepbound. The FDA-approved four-dose KwikPen provides patients with an entire month’s worth of treatment in one convenient device.
This development puts Lilly ahead of competitor Novo Nordisk, whose Wegovy weight-loss treatment has been available in the United States as a single-dose weekly injection pen since 2021.
The new Zepbound KwikPen will carry a starting price of $299 monthly for patients paying out of pocket, specifically for the 2.5-milligram dosage. The multi-dose injection device will come in six different strength options: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg.
Lilly already uses the KwikPen technology for delivering Mounjaro, its diabetes medication. The device has been available in several major international markets including the United Kingdom, Australia, Middle Eastern countries, and Canada.
The FDA gave Zepbound its approval in 2023, and the medication is currently offered in the United States through single-dose autoinjectors and vials. According to prescription data, Zepbound has surpassed Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy to become the leading weight-loss treatment in the American market.
