Eli Lilly, the US manufacturer of the weight loss jab Mounjaro, has announced a price increase of up to 170% in the UK from September, citing pressure from President Donald Trump to lower drug costs for Americans. A month’s supply of the highest dose will rise from £122 to £330, aligning it more closely with prices in other European markets.
Mounjaro, which contains tirzepatide and is self-administered weekly, launched in Britain in February 2024 at a list price “significantly below” other European markets to ensure NHS access. The company confirmed that the NHS will not pay the new higher price, safeguarding continued supply for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes through the health service.
Private healthcare providers, which can negotiate confidential discounts, are being consulted by Eli Lilly. The move comes after Trump threatened to use “every tool in our arsenal” against drugmakers charging higher prices in the US, which pays about three times more for medicines compared to other developed nations, according to the Rand Corporation.
In July, Trump sent letters to 17 major drugmakers, including Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, demanding price cuts for Americans within 60 days. He cited a friend in London who bought the “fat shot drug” for $88 versus $1,300 in New York. Pharmaceutical companies have seen huge profits from weight loss treatments, with Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy turning the Danish firm into one of Europe’s most valuable.
Both firms are racing to develop oral alternatives. Eli Lilly reported that an early-stage pill led to 12.4% weight loss in trials, while Novo Nordisk has submitted its oral drug for US approval, achieving about 15% weight loss in trials.
