Eli Lilly seeks Swedish subsidy for obesity drug Mounjaro

Eli Lilly has submitted an application to Sweden’s Dental and Pharmaceutical Agency (TLV) to include the obesity medication Mounjaro (tirzepatid) in the national high‑cost protection scheme for patients with severe obesity. Mounjaro, a weekly injectable GLP‑1/GIP agonist approved for type 2 diabetes and obesity, was launched in Sweden in October 2024 and quickly became the country’s best‑selling drug, generating more than SEK 1 billion in sales during its first five months and projected to exceed SEK 2 billion annually. The company argues that a subsidy would broaden access to an evidence‑based treatment and promote equitable obesity care. TLV previously rejected a subsidy request for the competing drug Wegovy, citing insufficient cost‑effectiveness and concerns about “subsidy sliding.” Lilly also has a pending TLV application from November 2024 for Mounjaro’s use in type 2 diabetes, which remains undecided.