Zepbound vials (Eli Lilly)

Eli Lilly’s telehealth deals require platforms to stop compounding GLP-1s, CFO says

Telehealth companies have to stop compounding GLP-1s if they want access to branded Zepbound, Lilly’s CFO said on Tuesday.

J. Edward Moreno

6/10/25 2:18PM

Eli Lilly’s deals with telehealth companies to sell cheaper versions of its popular weight-loss drug Zepbound come with a caveat: the telehealth companies cannot sell compounded versions of its GLP-1 drug, nor its competitors’.

Lucas Montarce, Lilly’s chief financial officer, on Tuesday shed some light on some of the deals the drugmaker has cut with telehealth providers that have become an important pillar of the weight-loss market. Many of the telehealth companies began selling copycat versions of Zepbound, as well as Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss drug Wegovy, while they were in shortage.

Now that the shortage of those drugs is over, many telehealth platforms have sought to keep selling compounded versions of the weight-loss drugs made by Lilly and Novo, nibbling at their market share and irritating the drugmakers. Lilly has reached deals with some of those providers to sell branded Zepbound, but few details were known before Tuesday.

Ro zepbound vial — (A screenshot from Ro’s website.)

“We are enforcing in those agreements that, as long as the product is out of the shortage list, that those telehealth services are not compounding either tirzepatide or semaglutide, right?” Montarce said at the Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, referring to the two active ingredients in Zepbound and Wegovy.

Telehealth company Ro does not promote compounded GLP-1s on its website, though it is presented as an option after filling out the survey. Noom lists compounded GLP-1s as an offering on its site. Both have partnerships with Lilly. A Lilly spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Other telehealth companies, like Hims & Hers, have gone all in on compounding, which they say offers “personalized” treatments for their patients. Selling branded, compounded drugs is also more profitable for them than flipping generics or brand-name drugs. Lilly and Novo have sued some of the telehealth providers selling compounded versions of their drugs.

The drugmakers have also lowered their prices in an effort to capture customers previously on compounded prescriptions. Both Lilly and Novo both introduced special rates for uninsured patients starting at about $400 a month, which is higher than the roughly $200 compounders charge, but significantly lower than the upward of $1,000 those companies charge insured patients.

Max Knoblauch6/15/26

Electronic Arts launches a platform to put more ads in its games

Video game publishing giant EA launched a new platform on Monday designed to make the process of selling immersive ad space in its popular games easier.

The company says the platform, called EA Advertising, allows brands to “integrate directly into gameplay through dynamic, real-time placements, from stadium signage to custom in-game content.”

More so than other studios, EA has incorporated advertising into its most popular titles. As Kotaku points out, the company’s ad efforts stretch as far back as 2006. Several of its sports franchises already feature partnerships with brands like Visa, Lowe’s, Red Bull, and PepsiCo.

In-game advertising hasn’t exactly been embraced by fans, but industry experts expect it to ramp up as companies seek more revenue to offset higher games budgets and surging memory costs. EA rival Take-Two has taken a different approach, with CEO Strauss Zelnick recently saying the company was “not at risk of doing brand partnerships” in the forthcoming “Grand Theft Auto VI,” and that ads in full-price games seems “unfair.”

The $55 billion deal to take EA private, led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is set to close at the end of this month. Being the largest leveraged buyout in history, EA will likely look for more ways to boost revenue to cover interest payments.

Electronic Arts Makes Push for Ad Dollars Tied to Sports

Millie Giles6/11/26

JM Smucker says it sold $1 billion worth of Uncrustables in FY2026

After years of booming sandwich sales, JM Smucker has finally earned a billion-dollar crust.

On Tuesday, the company reported results for fiscal year 2026, highlighting better-than-expected profits driven by higher prices for coffee and sweet baked goods. However, at another point on the earnings call, CEO Mark Smucker pointed to one particularly jammy figure: in line with previous forecasts, the company sold $1 billion worth of its (almost always) crustless sandwiches, Uncrustables, in the last year alone.

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

Paramount reportedly offers concessions to resolve multistate antitrust investigation

Paramount has reportedly offered up some concessions in an effort to prevent an antitrust lawsuit by California and about 10 other states, according to Bloomberg reporting on Monday.

Reuters first reported on the potential suit from a group of unnamed states last week, which could throw a wrench in Paramount’s plans to buy rival Warner Bros. Discovery in a Hollywood megamerger.

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

Paramount Offers Concessions to Head Off State Antitrust Lawsuit

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

$98B ⛽

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

The IATA released its latest financial outlook for the airline industry over the weekend, forecasting a $98 billion jump in the sector’s collective fuel bill. The world’s largest trade group representing airlines expects the oil spike to halve profits by 49% from last year to $23 billion.

The group also expects profit margins to halve year over year, falling from 2025’s 4.2% to 2%. Still, revenue is expected to climb to $1.17 trillion from $1.07 trillion.

A surge in the cost of jet fuel has rocked US and global airlines this year, leading Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, and others to raise fares and ancillary charges like bag fees. Low-cost carriers, which operate on smaller margins, have been squeezed the hardest, resulting in Spirit’s shutdown.

“It’s a tough year for all airlines, especially those whose balance sheets had not yet recovered from COVID. And, of course, for those operating in the Gulf,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh, who added that demand is holding up and about half of passengers expect to spend more on travel this year. “That bodes well for a strong northern summer peak season. The big unknown is how long travelers and shippers can tolerate the higher costs of connectivity.”

Hollywood Exteriors And Landmarks - 2025

1 year into the Switch 2, we might’ve seen the top of the console market

The Switch 2 launched on this day in 2025. Amid a rough year for consoles, Nintendo has logged a good one.

Max Knoblauch6/5/26