Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk negotiating deal with Trump administration on obesity drug prices
The Trump administration is negotiating an agreement with pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to offer some of their weight loss drugs at a lower price through TrumpRx, sources familiar with the talks told ABC News.
Under the pending agreements, a month's supply of the drugs would cost roughly $149 and be covered for some Medicare beneficiaries, one source told ABC News.
Discussions between the pharmaceutical companies and the administration are still ongoing, the sources said. If an agreement is reached, an announcement is expected as soon as this week, according to the sources.
Endpoint News, an industry publication, first reported that the administration was nearing deals with the pharmaceutical giants.
White House deputy press secretary Kush Desai said in a statement, "Discussions about deals that have not been officially announced by the Administration should be regarded as speculation."
During a briefing earlier Tuesday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she would "not get ahead of the president on any future announcements" but cited Trump's "strong commitment to bringing down drug prices in this country."
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told ABC News in a statement that the company "is engaged in constructive discussions with the administration regarding the Most Favored Nation executive order. We remain focused on improving patient access and affordability, and we will continue to work to find solutions that help people access the medication they need."
In May, Trump signed an executive order to pressure companies to only charge U.S. patients the same rate as they charge in other countries, which is called "most favored nation" pricing.
An Eli Lilly spokesperson said: "Lilly is in discussions with the administration to further expand patient access, preserve innovation, and promote affordability of our medicines. We do not have specific details to share at this time."
Novo Nordisk makes the popular weight loss drug Wegovy; Lilly is the maker of Zepbound.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional information.
