Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks told CNBC on Monday that 700,000 new seniors have started GLP-1 treatment since Medicare coverage of the obesity drug began in July, and 70% of those patients are taking Lilly’s drug.
In an exclusive interview with CNBC, Ricks called the developments in coverage so far “very encouraging” and said the expansion of the broader GLP-1 market “is what we were hoping for.” His comments provide the latest indication of how much the coverage is expanding access to the drug and whether Lilly or its biggest rival appears to be gaining traction among new patients. Novo.
This coverage would be provided through a temporary program called “Bridge,” which would allow eligible beneficiaries to obtain weight loss drugs for a $50 monthly copay. The federal Medicare program covers approximately 66 million people who are 65 years of age or older or have a disability.
Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks speaks at a press conference in Houston on September 23, 2025.
Antranik Tabitian | Reuters
Lilly’s blockbuster obesity injection Zepbound appears to be the biggest Medicare coverage winner so far. Through the program, seniors will have access to Zepbound, in addition to Lilly’s new obesity drug Foundayo, Novo’s competitor Wigovy, and the blockbuster injectable drug of the same name.
“We’re catching seven out of 10 new cases, and many are still in Zepbound,” he said. “I think there are still physicians who are focused on patients who weigh the most and have the most comorbidities, and that’s where Zepbound plays a big role.”
Lilly’s Foundayo is playing a bigger role for patients who are looking for a convenient treatment option and “may just need to lose 25 to 30 pounds,” Ricks added. Although the pill was launched in April, several months later than Novo’s, Ricks told CNBC that one-third of new patients taking oral GLP-1 are now taking Foundayo.
He said he hadn’t heard of many logistical problems with this rollout, and said the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has “done a great job rolling this out” by educating doctors and working with both businesses and health plans.
