Lilly lowers Canadian list prices for tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) by more than 20% –
List price reductions drop 20% across doses, with changes set to take effect December 29; follows recent US cash-pay pricing changes for Zepbound
Lilly reported recently that it will be lowering Canadian list prices for its tirzepatide products, Mounjaro (tirzepatide for T2D) and Zepbound (tirzepatide for obesity), by 20% or more before the end of the year. A four-week supply of 2.5 mg and 5 mg doses will be priced at CAD $300 (~$217 USD), while higher 7.5 mg and 10 mg doses will cost CAD $420 (~$305 USD). The new prices will take effect on December 29, 2025. These changes would represent a notable shift in GLP-1 RA pricing strategy in Canada, where list price adjustments may carry greater implications for reimbursement and access than in the US.
Canadian list price reductions differ from Lilly’s recent US cash-pay actions
The Canadian price changes for tirzepatide announced today follow a series of recent moves by Lilly to enhance the affordability of its GLP-1 RAs in the US. This change includes the lowering of cash-pay prices for single-dose vials of Zepbound to a range of $299 to $449, depending on the dose, through its LillyDirect digital healthcare platform (as opposed to adjusting list prices, as the company did in Canada). The company’s approach in Canada, relying more on list price adjustments, may carry greater implications for reimbursement and access in a publicly administered healthcare system, although regional variation is unclear with Canada’s provincial variation in reimbursement. Taken together, these actions suggest Lilly is engaging with market-specific pricing strategies as pressure around GLP-1 RA affordability intensifies.
GLP-1 RA pricing in Canada shifts ahead of the expected entry of generic semaglutide
Lilly’s Canadian list price reductions come as the competitive landscape for GLP-1 RAs in Canada is expected to shift. Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide is expected to lose data exclusivity in Canada in early 2026, allowing generic manufacturers to file for regulatory approval starting next month. As a result, companies such as Sandoz and Hims & Hers may pursue regulatory approval for generic semaglutide products in Canada once data exclusivity expires.
Against this backdrop, Lilly’s decision to lower Canadian list prices for tirzepatide may reflect evolving affordability expectations in the market. It remains unclear how provincial reimbursement plans and private insurers will consider branded GLP-1 RAs as lower-cost alternatives begin to enter the market.
Close Concerns’ Questions
- Is Lilly positioning these lower Canadian prices primarily to expand self-pay access, or does the company expect the reductions to influence public or private payer reimbursement decisions?
- How might variation in reimbursement structure across Canadian provinces influence the real-world impact of Lilly’s list price reduction?
- How might reductions in list prices impact the competitive landscape for GLP-1 RAs in Canada, especially considering the emergence of generic semaglutide products?
--by Riya Chatterjee, Jeremy Alkire, Esther Min, and Kelly Close