Is Trulicity Being Discontinued? What's Actually Changing in 2026
No. Trulicity is still marketed under an active FDA license, and Lilly is publishing 2026 pricing and savings offers. What is changing: Medicare selected Trulicity for price negotiation on January 27, 2026, with any negotiated price taking effect January 1, 2028.
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No, Trulicity (dulaglutide) is not being discontinued in the US in 2026. The DailyMed label listing from the National Library of Medicine still shows Eli Lilly as the packager with an active Biologic Licensing Application marketing status, and that label was updated June 16, 2026 and revised 3/2026 [10]. Lilly is actively publishing a 2026 list price of $1,006.93 per month and a savings card that runs through December 31, 2026 [7] [8].
What is actually changing is Medicare’s treatment of the drug. On January 27, 2026, CMS selected Trulicity as one of 15 drugs for the third cycle of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and on March 13, 2026 CMS confirmed that Lilly and all other participating manufacturers chose to enter negotiations [4] [5]. Any negotiated price would take effect January 1, 2028, and nothing in the program changes Trulicity’s Medicare pricing in 2026 or 2027 [4]. The discontinuation talk appears to trace back to two separate real events: the withdrawal of the exenatide diabetes drugs Byetta and Bydureon BCise, and Trulicity’s selection for Medicare negotiation. Neither event means Trulicity is going off the market.
What is Trulicity and what does its label cover?
Trulicity is the brand name for dulaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist injected under the skin once a week. It received initial US approval in 2014 [1] [10].
The label lists two indications. First, as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients 10 years of age or older with type 2 diabetes. Second, to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes who have established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors [1] [10].
It comes as a clear, colorless solution in single-dose pens in four strengths: 0.75 mg, 1.5 mg, 3 mg, and 4.5 mg per 0.5 mL [1] [10]. The label carries a boxed warning about the risk of thyroid C-cell tumors, and Trulicity is contraindicated in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 [1] [10].
Where does the discontinuation rumor come from?
Two unrelated GLP-1 stories have likely gotten tangled together with Trulicity.
The first is that some older GLP-1 diabetes drugs really were discontinued. AstraZeneca discontinued Byetta on October 25, 2024 and Bydureon BCise on October 28, 2024 [3]. On August 4, 2025, the FDA published a notice withdrawing approval of 39 new drug applications, including NDA 021773 (Byetta), NDA 022200 (Bydureon), and NDA 209210 (Bydureon BCise), effective September 3, 2025, at the applicants’ request because the products were no longer marketed [2]. That notice covers exenatide products, not Trulicity. No discontinuation or approval withdrawal of Trulicity appears anywhere in it [2].
Notably, when UnitedHealthcare told providers about the exenatide discontinuations in a December 19, 2024 notice, it named Trulicity as a preferred covered GLP-1 alternative. On its commercial plans, the preferred list was Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Trulicity, and liraglutide (the Victoza authorized generic). On its Individual Exchange plans, the preferred list was Mounjaro, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Trulicity [3]. In other words, that insurer was pointing patients toward Trulicity, not away from it.
The second story is the Medicare negotiation selection, covered below. Being selected for negotiation is not a discontinuation; it is a price-setting process for drugs that remain on the market.
Why did Medicare select Trulicity for price negotiation?
On January 27, 2026, CMS announced the 15 drugs selected for the third cycle of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, and Trulicity is on the list. This is the first cycle to include drugs payable under Medicare Part B [4]. Analysts writing in Health Affairs note that despite that expansion, the selected list for 2028 remains predominantly drugs covered under Part D [11].
The 15 selected drugs were used by approximately 1.8 million people with Medicare Part D or Part B coverage between November 2024 and October 2025, and accounted for approximately $27 billion in total Part B and Part D spending, about 6 percent of combined Part B and Part D spending [4] [11]. The selected drugs are the top 15 highest-spending drugs on CMS’s newly published list of the top 50 negotiation-eligible drugs [4].
Manufacturers had until February 28, 2026 to decide whether to participate. On March 13, 2026, CMS confirmed that the manufacturers of all 15 selected drugs, plus the manufacturer of the one drug selected for renegotiation, chose to participate [4] [5]. Negotiations happen during 2026, and any negotiated prices become effective January 1, 2028 [4] [5].
What could the Medicare negotiation mean for Trulicity’s price?
Trulicity is the second GLP-1 receptor agonist selected for Medicare negotiation. Semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy) was selected for the 2027 cycle, and CMS and Novo Nordisk agreed to a negotiated maximum fair price of $274 [11].
Under the negotiation program’s guidance, CMS considers the maximum fair prices of selected drugs from earlier cycles that are considered therapeutic alternatives for the drug being negotiated. Analysts writing in Health Affairs note that CMS is likely to deem semaglutide a therapeutic alternative for dulaglutide, so the $274 semaglutide price would be considered in Trulicity’s negotiation [11].
There are complications. A separate Most Favored Nation agreement set the semaglutide price to Part D plan sponsors at $245 in 2026 and 2027, alongside the voluntary BALANCE model and a $50 Part D copay introduced in mid-2026, and Lilly has reportedly signed these MFN agreements as well [11]. How, or whether, those figures factor into Trulicity’s negotiation is not yet clear [11].
For context on scale: in the 2026 and 2027 cycles, negotiations moved typical discounts from 10 percent or less to 35 percent or more [11]. CMS estimated that the second-cycle prices, effective January 1, 2027, would have saved an estimated $8.5 billion in 2024, roughly 36 percent lower net spending in aggregate [4]. No negotiated price for Trulicity has been set or published, so any specific number would be a guess. Also, the negotiated price applies to Medicare only; nothing in the program directly changes commercial or cash prices.
What does Trulicity cost in 2026?
The list price, also called the wholesale acquisition cost or WAC, is $1,006.93 per month, defined as four pens, per AnalySource data accessed January 1, 2026 [7]. The amount a person actually pays depends on their insurance plan, pharmacy, and any assistance they qualify for [7].
Lilly reports the following out-of-pocket outcomes, based on its own internal analysis of HealthVerity real-world claims data from January through December 2024. These are Lilly-reported outcomes, not prices or guarantees [7]:
| Insurance situation | Lilly-reported out-of-pocket outcome |
|---|---|
| Employer or private individual policy | About 40% pay $0 per prescription; 90% pay under $75 [7] |
| Medicare | About 70% pay $0 per prescription; 90% pay under $47 [7] |
| Medicaid | About 90% pay $0 per prescription [7] |
The commercial figures include the savings card and other support, and the Medicare figures reflect supplemental support [7].
The Trulicity Savings Card lets eligible commercially insured patients pay as little as $25 for a 1-, 2-, or 3-month fill, where one month is 28 days and up to 4 pens. Savings are capped at $150 per 1-month prescription, $300 per 2-month fill, $450 per 3-month fill, and $1,950 per calendar year, with up to 13 fills per year. The card expires and savings end on December 31, 2026 [8].
The card is not available to people enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, VA, TRICARE, or other government-funded programs; it requires commercial insurance that covers Trulicity, a US or Puerto Rico residence, and age 18 or older [8]. For people who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover Trulicity, Lilly offers self-pay options through LillyDirect, and the separate Lilly Cares Foundation donates medicines at no cost to qualified people [7].
Is there a generic or biosimilar Trulicity?
Trulicity’s marketing status is a Biologic Licensing Application, not a conventional new drug application [10]. That matters for how copies would reach the market: any copy of Trulicity would follow the biologic route rather than the small-molecule generic route.
In Medicaid’s NADAC pricing classification, NDCs for biosimilar products are treated as brand, designated B-BIO, and kept separate from generics, designated G [6]. That means biosimilar products are classified and tracked separately from conventional generics in the NADAC rate-setting process [6].
What changed recently on the Trulicity label?
Two warnings were added in November 2024: Warnings and Precautions section 5.6, Severe Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions, and section 5.9, Pulmonary Aspiration During General Anesthesia or Deep Sedation [1]. The label was revised 05/2025, and the DailyMed version shows section 5.6 revised 03/2026 with the label revised 3/2026 [1] [10].
Section 5.9 addresses rare postmarketing reports of pulmonary aspiration in patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists who were undergoing elective surgeries or procedures requiring general anesthesia or deep sedation, with residual gastric contents despite reported adherence to preoperative fasting. The label instructs patients to inform their healthcare providers of any planned surgeries or procedures [1] [10].
Section 5.6 states that Trulicity use may be associated with gastrointestinal adverse reactions, sometimes severe, and that it is not recommended in patients with severe gastroparesis. In pooled placebo-controlled trials, severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions were reported in 2.2% of patients on 0.75 mg and 4.3% on 1.5 mg, versus 1.4% on placebo [1].
What is the REWIND trial behind the heart indication?
The cardiovascular indication rests on the REWIND trial (NCT01394952), a multi-national, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. In it, 9,901 adults with type 2 diabetes and either established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors, all age 50 or older, were randomized to Trulicity 1.5 mg or placebo, both added to standard of care. Median follow-up was 5.4 years [1].
At baseline, 31.5% of participants had established cardiovascular disease and 62.8% had risk factors only. The mean age was 66, and 46% were female [1].
The primary endpoint was time to first occurrence of a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke. That composite occurred in 594 patients (12.0%) on Trulicity versus 663 (13.4%) on placebo, with a hazard ratio of 0.88 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.79 to 0.99 [1]. There were 536 all-cause deaths (10.8%) in the dulaglutide group versus 592 (12.0%) in the placebo group, and vital status was known for 99.7% of patients [1].
What should people taking Trulicity keep in mind right now?
A few dated facts are worth tracking. Any Medicare negotiated price for Trulicity would apply from January 1, 2028; nothing in the negotiation program changes Medicare pricing for Trulicity in 2026 or 2027 [4]. The savings card’s terms end December 31, 2026, and card eligibility ends if a person begins coverage under any government program [8].
Insurance formularies decide which GLP-1 products are covered, and those lists vary by plan type. The UnitedHealthcare notice is one example: its preferred GLP-1 alternatives differed between commercial, Individual Exchange, and Medicare plans [3].
The label also states its missed-dose rule: take the missed dose as soon as possible if at least 3 days (72 hours) remain before the next scheduled dose; if less than 3 days remain, skip the missed dose and resume the regular weekly schedule. The day of weekly administration can be changed as long as the last dose was given 3 or more days before the new day [1] [10]. The label instructs patients to tell all of their healthcare providers they are taking Trulicity before any surgery or procedure involving anesthesia or deep sedation [1] [8] [10].
Sources
- US Food and Drug Administration. Trulicity (dulaglutide) injection prescribing information. 2025.
- Federal Register. Teva Branded Pharmaceutical Products R&D, Inc., et al.; Withdrawal of Approval of 39 New Drug Applications. August 4, 2025.
- UnitedHealthcare. Discontinuation of Bydureon BCise and Byetta. December 19, 2024.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS Announces Selection of Drugs for Third Cycle of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, Including First-Ever Part B Drugs. January 27, 2026.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Selected Drugs and Negotiated Prices.
- Medicaid.gov. NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) 2026. Updated September 8, 2026.
- Eli Lilly and Company. Trulicity Cost Information | With or Without Insurance.
- Eli Lilly and Company. Trulicity Savings Card, Cost and Resources.
- The Lancet. Dulaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes (REWIND): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial.
- DailyMed, National Library of Medicine. TRULICITY (dulaglutide) injection, solution.
- Health Affairs. Analyzing The Drugs Selected For The 2028 Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Cycle. February 5, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Trulicity shortage right now?
The FDA's drug shortage database is the official place to check current and resolved shortages for any medication, including injectable GLP-1 products.
Will Medicare still cover Trulicity in 2026 and 2027?
Nothing in the negotiation program changes Trulicity's Medicare coverage or pricing in 2026 or 2027. Negotiations occur during 2026, and any negotiated price becomes effective January 1, 2028. Coverage details depend on each member's specific Part D or Medicare Advantage plan.
When does the Medicare negotiated price for Trulicity take effect?
Any negotiated price for Trulicity would take effect January 1, 2028. CMS selected Trulicity on January 27, 2026, confirmed manufacturer participation on March 13, 2026, and negotiations run during 2026. No Trulicity price has been set or published yet.
Does the Trulicity savings card work with Medicare or Medicaid?
No. The card excludes people enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, VA, TRICARE, and other government-funded programs. It requires commercial insurance that covers Trulicity, and eligibility ends if government coverage begins.
What happened to Byetta and Bydureon BCise?
AstraZeneca discontinued Byetta on October 25, 2024 and Bydureon BCise on October 28, 2024. The FDA withdrew approval of those exenatide products effective September 3, 2025, at the applicants' request because they were no longer marketed. Trulicity is not part of that withdrawal.
Is Trulicity approved for weight loss?
The label lists two indications: improving glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients 10 and older with type 2 diabetes, and reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Weight loss is not among the labeled indications.
Is there a generic or biosimilar for Trulicity?
Trulicity is marketed under a Biologic Licensing Application, so any copy would be a biosimilar rather than a conventional generic. In Medicaid's NADAC classification, biosimilar NDCs are treated as brand (B-BIO), separate from generics (G), meaning biosimilars are classified and tracked apart from conventional generics in the rate-setting process.
What pen strengths does Trulicity come in?
Trulicity comes as a solution in single-dose pens in four strengths: 0.75 mg, 1.5 mg, 3 mg, and 4.5 mg per 0.5 mL, injected under the skin once weekly. A monthly supply is defined as four pens.
This article summarizes FDA labeling, published research and company information current as of September 14, 2026. It is not medical advice and does not replace a conversation with your own healthcare provider. How we research and verify.