Lilly Pacts Prohibit Telehealth Sales of Copycat Zepbound

Eli Lilly & Co. will only work with telehealth firms that agree to stop selling copycat versions of weight-loss drugs, diminishing the likelihood of a partnership with one most visible players in the industry, Hims & Hers Health Inc.

Hims teamed up with Novo Nordisk A/S in April to offer its rival drug Wegovy at a discounted price to patients who use its platform. The telehealth company — and its investors — had been hoping for a similar agreement with Lilly, which is working with several of Hims’ competitors to distribute lower-cost Zepbound.