In a groundbreaking move, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company has launched its first direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform, Lilly Direct. This comes shortly after the company's successful launch of Zepbound, a weight-loss drug that has gained significant attention in the market.

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Lilly Direct aims to connect consumers with independent telehealth providers who can prescribe drugs that will be fulfilled through the platform's own pharmacy. The telehealth doctors will be provided by Form Health, as reported by NBC News. The pharmacy fulfillment will be powered by Truepill, a platform that also supports other D2C pharma marketers such as Cost Plus Drugs and GoodRx.

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The initial products available on Lilly Direct include Zepbound for obesity, insulin products for diabetes, and Emgality for migraine headaches. Notably, the website does not list Mounjaro, a drug approved by the FDA for both diabetes and weight loss, as one of its available products. When reached for comment, Lilly stated that they are currently only shipping a limited number of products and will consider adding more in the future.

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This move puts Lilly ahead of the curve, according to BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Siegerman, as D2C is seen as an ideal platform for obesity medications. However, some experts have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, with Arthur Caplan, head of the division of medical ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center, stating that a pharma company using telemedicine to promote its own drugs could create an appearance of conflict.

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Lilly is not the only entity venturing into the D2C drug market for the first time. Just a few weeks ago, WW (formerly Weight Watchers) began selling Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy, in addition to Zepbound. This has resulted in a rise in Lilly's stock and a decline in WW's stock in early trading.

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In a statement, David A. Ricks, Lilly's chair and CEO, highlighted the company's goal of simplifying the patient experience and improving outcomes through Lilly Direct. Frank Cunningham, Lilly's group vice president of global value and access, added that the platform aims to offer patients an innovative end-to-end experience for managing their health and accessing their medicines.

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Lilly has also hinted at future updates to Lilly Direct, which may include new products, partners, and services to help patients with medication adherence. This move by Lilly marks a significant shift in the pharmaceutical industry, as more companies are exploring the D2C model to reach consumers directly and simplify the healthcare experience.
Sources: https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/392368/big-pharma-goes-d2c-with-launch-of-lillydirect.html