Virta Health Cuts GLP-1 Use for Weight Loss Over 50% While Driving Significant and Sustained Outcomes, Delivering Major Cost Savings for Payers

Revenue Growth Surges to 80% Year-over-Year, Fueled by Demand for Virta’s Transformational and Cost-Effective Weight Loss Results

Virta Health, a leader in diabetes reversal and sustainable weight loss with a nutrition-first approach, announced early and compelling results from its Sustainable Weight Loss GLP-1 prescribing capabilities, launched earlier this year. The outcomes highlight a revolutionary shift in obesity and weight loss care, offering organizations a responsible way to cover GLP-1s for weight loss, while reducing reliance and curbing total costs for the medications.

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An expansion of Virta’s Sustainable Weight Loss solution, Responsible Prescribing supports employers, health plans, and leading pharmacy benefit managers to deliver best-in-class outcomes with or without GLP-1s, through providing a drug-free alternative, combo therapy, and off-ramp for medications. Virta’s approach provides payers the most cost-efficient options for long-term health improvement while integrating weight loss medications as needed.

Preliminary findings from Virta’s book of business indicate its prescribing solution drove transformative health outcomes and immediate business impact, including:

• Substantial reduction in GLP-1 utilization and corresponding costs
  • Responsible Prescribing prevents ongoing GLP-1 use by over 50% among current GLP-1 users¹, lowering costs for payers.
  • Among all Sustainable Weight Loss members, less than 25% are on GLP-1s today, demonstrating Virta’s ability to direct members to its nutrition first weight loss programs.
• Clinically meaningful weight loss—with or without GLP-1s
  • Members in the Responsible Prescribing program have achieved ~5% average weight loss in just 90 days, whether or not they’re on GLP-1 medications, with previously reported one year weight loss outcomes reaching 13% without the use of these medications.
  • For existing weight loss members, weight loss was either maintained or continued on average for up to six months after stopping GLP-1s with a nutrition-only approach. Additionally, Virta is the only program with peer-reviewed evidence of sustained weight loss outcomes for up to 12 months post GLP-1s, as demonstrated in a published study of diabetes members.
• Demand for Sustainable Weight Loss drove record business momentum
  • Virta expects to enroll more members this year than its prior 10 years combined; with the majority of new enrollments for the company’s weight loss solution.
  • This momentum has helped to further accelerate YoY revenue growth from 60% in 2024 to 80% in Q1 2025.

The GLP-1 Cost Crisis and the Need for Smarter Solutions

As organizations from self-insured employers to health plans tighten coverage criteria and grapple with GLP-1 costs projected to surpass $100 billion annually, the need for a proven, cost-efficient, and responsible approach to covering GLP-1s for weight loss has never been greater.

“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.”

This shift comes as 69% of consumers prefer to lose weight without medications, reinforcing the need for solutions that prioritize nutrition and long-term sustainability over the dependency and financial burden of GLP-1s alone. Those who transition off these medications, while sustaining achieved weight loss nutritionally, report a better quality of life, with one Virta member sharing, “Thank you so much for all of your help transitioning off this medication. I am feeling so much better than I have while I was on it.”

With demand surging and early results exceeding expectations, Virta is redefining the standard of care in weight loss. As the cost and complexity of GLP-1 use continue to rise, Virta now offers a path forward that prioritizes health, affordability, and lasting impact, with or without GLP-1s, offering enterprises a responsible way to cover these medications for weight loss.

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