Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is readying a PBAC application for tirzepatide, which if successful, would become the first GLP-1 receptor agonist publicly funded for obesity treatment.

Without giving a dollar figure, the company has acknowledged that a listing would be expensive for taxpayers but says the downstream effects will be worth it.

“The cost of treating obesity is considerable given the large number of Australians impacted,” said an Eli Lilly Australian spokesperson.

“However, the cost of not treating this chronic disease is immense.”