Lilly, Novo near White House deals to cut obesity drug prices, gain Medicare access, Endpoints News reports

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(Reuters) -Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are expected to announce deals with the White House to offer the lowest dose of their weight-loss drugs at $149 per month, in exchange for Medicare coverage, Endpoints News reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The agreement can be announced this week, the report added.

Patients in the U.S. currently pay the most for prescription medicines, often nearly three times more than in other developed nations, and President Donald Trump has been pressuring drugmakers to lower their prices to what patients pay elsewhere.

In return, the drugs would gain coverage under Medicare, a federal health insurance program in the U.S. for people aged 65 and older or who have disabilities, which would open up a huge new set of reimbursement, according to the report.

A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told Reuters that the company is engaged in constructive discussions with the (Trump) administration regarding the Most Favored Nation executive order.

The White House and Lilly did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Pfizer was the first drugmaker to announce a deal with the Trump administration. In September, the company agreed to lower prescription drug prices in the Medicaid program to what it charges in other developed countries in exchange for tariff relief. UK-based drugmaker AstraZeneca, in October, also signed a similar pact.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps cover medical costs for some people with limited income.

Trump had also said Pfizer would offer that most-favored-nation pricing on all new drugs launched in the U.S. and flagged that other drugmakers will follow suit.

(Reporting by Sriparna Roy and Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo and Shailesh Kuber)