WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump announced a deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk on Thursday that would allow some of their obesity drugs, like Wegovy and Zepbound, to be sold to Americans for around $150 for a month’s supply.
Trump made the announcement from the Oval Office with top administration and pharmaceutical executives, praising the companies for offering their GLP-1 drugs at “drastic discounts.” (TNND)
Trump made the announcement from the Oval Office with top administration and pharmaceutical executives, praising the companies for offering their GLP-1 drugs at “drastic discounts.”
Lilly and Novo Nordisk are joining the phenomenal list of the most exciting announcements,” Trump said. “These are two companies behind the groundbreaking weight loss drugs that have helped millions of Americans struggling with obesity.”
The announcement ended abruptly after a healthcare executive of Novo Nordisk, Gordon Findlay, passed out. The press left the room as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump and Dr. Mehmet Oz drew their attention to Findlay.
The deal offers the popular weight loss drugs to be sold for as low as $150 via Trump’s direct-to-consumer TrumpRX website.
Both companies have also agreed to offer all of their drugs at most-favored nation pricing through the website, which Trump shared should be running by the end of the year.
Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are committing to offer Zepbound and Wegovy at Most Favored Nation rates for American patients. This will slash the cost of Wegovy from $1,350 a month to ultimately $250 a month,” Trump said. “And reduce the monthly cost of Zepbound from $1,080 to $346.”
The companies will also invest in the United States to build new manufacturing plants, with Eli Lilly spending $27 billion and Novo Nordisk spending $10 billion.
“Promise Made. Promise Kept. President Trump is lowering drug costs for the American people,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy Jr. said obesity is the number one driver of chronic disease in the United States. He called Thursday’s announcement something no president has ever done.
I want to start by thanking you, Mr. President, for DECLARING WAR on chronic disease in this country. This is something no American president has ever done. If we want to solve the chronic disease crisis, we have to tackle obesity.”,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said the American public will lose 125 million pounds by this time next year. He said the announcement will have “dramatic effects on human health in this country.”
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Oz said obesity is responsible for half of all chronic diseases and that Americans need to get fit in order to help fix the healthcare system.
Oz said obesity is “not an absence of GLP-1 drugs,” but is an “arrow in our quiver that we must use and should use.”
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 06: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (L) talks with Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz while President Donald Trump delivers remarks on lowering drug prices in the Oval Office at the White House on November 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced that his administration has reached agreements with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk that would lower the price of some GLP-1 weight loss medications. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
A fact sheet from the White House breaks down the newly announced deal, explaining that Medicare beneficiaries will pay a co-pay of just $50 per month.
Medicare and Medicaid would cover the drugs, bringing an influx of business to the companies.
The agreement allows the GLP-1s to be covered by Medicaid to treat obesity, while it would require Medicare to cover the drugs for obese Americans who are also at high risk for other health problems.
Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy would be sold through TrumpRX in its lowest dose for $149. For Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, the starting dose would be sold for $299. Officials told the Post that it is $50 less than what Eli Lilly currently charges consumers buying directly from the company online.
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 06: A chart showing drug prices is displayed as U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on lowering drug prices in the Oval Office at the White House on November 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced that his administration has reached agreements with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk that would lower the price of some GLP-1 weight loss medications. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Right now, the drugs have list prices between $1,000 and $1,350 a month, with the companies offering discounts to insurers and patients. If a consumer is using the companies’ direct-to-consumer services, the cash prices of the drug are around $499 a month.
Eli Lilly would also sell the starting dose of weight-loss pill orforglipron for $149 if the drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Orforglipron is currently in clinical trials and Eli Lilly is requesting a voucher from the FDA to speed up review of the pill, the officials noted. The company has already applied for the voucher.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary announced that both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk will receive vouchers to advance the review process for medications that could transform healthcare, with Makary mentioning one drug geared at treating cancer.
What about Ozempic? Officials said the Novo Nordisk diabetes drug might also be offered on TrumpRX. The drug is already covered for many patients on Medicare or Medicaid.
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 06: A chart addressing drug availability is displayed as U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on lowering drug prices in the Oval Office at the White House on November 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced that his administration has reached agreements with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk that would lower the price of some GLP-1 weight loss medications. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Right now, Medicare plans are allowed to cover weight-loss drugs for “nonobesity uses,” like reducing the risk of heart attacks. Only a few states actually cover the drugs for weight loss specifically in their Medicaid programs.
The deal comes as the Trump administration recently reached agreements with Pfizer and AstraZeneca to offer prescription discounts. AstraZeneca also pledged to list its top drugs on TrumpRx. EMD Serono has also announced a deal with the administration to lower fertility drug costs.
The United States consumes only 13% of all prescription drugs, yet pharmaceutical companies make 75% of their profits from their American customer,” Trump said Thursday. “To address this chronic unfairness, I signed an EO earlier this year instructing my administration to do everything in our power to implement most-favored-nations drug pricing.”
In May, Trump signed an executive order reviving the “Most Favored Nation” policy, which aims to cut drug costs by tying the prices of some medicines in the U.S. to significantly lower ones abroad.
Besides committing to lowering costs, Trump said, Pfizer agreed to spend $70 billion in domestic manufacturing facilities, becoming the latest in a string of major drugmakers to announce plans to build production in the U.S.
Consumers are not expected to start seeing lower prices under the Pfizer deal until 2026, according to senior administration officials.
In October, Kennedy Jr. unveiled a new plan he said would drastically reduce drug prices across America. He said the FDA is taking “bold decisive action” to make it more affordable to develop biosimilar medicines, which are lower-cost “generic” alternatives to biologic drugs that treat serious diseases.
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