Healthcare technology platform Andel Co-op Inc announced on Wednesday the launch of its app and medication platform in the United States, giving companies a new way to make GLP-1s an accessible employee benefit.

GLP-1s are a class of medication primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly's (NYSE:LLY) newly-approved Zepbound KwikPen will be the inaugural medication available on the Andel platform.

The platform offers a cooperative model that leverages the combined power of its network to access medications directly from pharmaceutical manufacturers at lower costs. Employers then choose a contribution amount to lower out-of-pocket costs for their employees. Andel's solution does not require the use of a PBM, TPA, or insurance, helping to create new pathways for employers to offer lower-cost brand name medications as competitive workplace benefits.

Jay Bregman, Andel founder and CEO, said: "More and more employees are clamouring for access to these medications, but companies need a fiscally responsible way to offer them. Andel's platform aligns employers, workers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers as Americans continue to seek out affordable brand name medications. This is just the beginning."