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-1’s for weight loss, while reducing reliance and curbing total costs for the medications.

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 users, lowering costs for payers. 
  • Among all Sustainable Weight Loss members, less than 25% are on GLP-1's 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-1’s 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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