What You Should Know:
– Virta Health, a leader in diabetes reversal and sustainable weight loss through its nutrition-first methodology, has announced early results from its recently launched Sustainable Weight Loss GLP-1 prescribing capabilities.
– These outcomes signal a potentially transformative shift in obesity and weight loss management, offering organizations a responsible framework for covering GLP-1 medications while actively reducing reliance and controlling overall costs.
Addressing the Growing GLP-1 Cost Crisis
As organizations grapple with the escalating costs of GLP-1 medications, projected to exceed $100B annually, the need for a responsible and cost-effective approach to their coverage has become critical. This urgency is amplified by the fact that 69% of consumers express a preference for losing weight without medication, highlighting the demand for solutions that prioritize sustainable lifestyle changes over long-term drug dependency and its associated financial burden.
Delivering Major Cost Savings for Payers
Expanding upon Virta’s established Sustainable Weight Loss solution, its Responsible Prescribing approach is designed to empower employers, health plans, and pharmacy benefit managers with a comprehensive strategy. This strategy delivers best-in-class patient outcomes both with and without GLP-1 medications, providing a drug-free alternative, facilitating combination therapy when appropriate, and offering a structured pathway to discontinue medication when clinically suitable. Virta’s approach uniquely positions payers to access the most cost-effective solutions for long-term health improvements, strategically integrating weight loss medications as a component of care rather than the sole focus.
Preliminary data from Virta’s current client base demonstrates the significant impact of its prescribing solution:
- Substantial Reduction in GLP-1 Utilization and Costs: Virta’s Responsible Prescribing has successfully prevented the ongoing use of GLP-1 medications in over 50% of current GLP-1 users¹, leading to significant cost savings for payers. Furthermore, across Virta’s entire Sustainable Weight Loss program, less than 25% of members are currently on GLP-1s, underscoring the effectiveness of Virta’s nutrition-first approach in guiding members toward alternative weight loss strategies.
- Clinically Meaningful Weight Loss – With or Without Medication: Participants in Virta’s Responsible Prescribing program have achieved an average weight loss of approximately 5% in just 90 days, regardless of whether they are utilizing GLP-1 medications. This builds upon Virta’s previously reported one-year weight loss outcomes of 13% achieved without the use of these medications.
- Sustained Weight Loss Post-GLP-1: Notably, existing Virta members who discontinued GLP-1 medications while engaging with the nutrition-focused program maintained or continued their weight loss for an average of up to six months. This is further supported by peer-reviewed research demonstrating Virta’s ability to facilitate sustained weight loss for up to 12 months after GLP-1 discontinuation in its diabetes-focused members.
- Record Business Momentum Driven by Demand: The strong demand for Virta’s Sustainable Weight Loss solution is fueling unprecedented business growth. The company anticipates enrolling more members this year than in its previous ten years combined, with the majority of these new enrollments specifically for its weight loss program. This surge in demand has accelerated Virta’s year-over-year revenue growth from 60% in 2024 to an impressive 80% in the first quarter of 2025.
“Skyrocketing costs of GLP-1s have left enterprises to absorb increased expenses or restrict access altogether, which either fail to address the root causes of obesity or leave individual patients frustrated,” said Sami Inkinen, co-founder and CEO of Virta. “In just months, our Responsible Prescribing model is cutting GLP-1 usage in half while delivering transformative weight loss outcomes. This isn’t just cost control—it’s the responsible approach to addressing obesity and covering GLP-1s while maximizing health outcomes.”
