Eli Lilly (LLY) said Wednesday that a real-world study showed sustained use of its weight-management drug Zepbound was associated with lower healthcare costs among adults older than 55 with overweight or obesity, compared with similar untreated adults.

The lower expenses were partially driven by fewer emergency department visits and hospital admissions among patients taking the medication, the company said.

At six months, healthcare costs were up to 15% lower, or by up to $181 per patient per month. At 12 months, costs were lower by up to $607 per patient per month, or up to 38%, compared with untreated adults, Eli Lilly said.

Starting at 12 months, the estimated savings exceeded the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program's monthly treatment cost of $195 per patient.