Shaun Noorian, founder and chief executive officer of Empower Pharmacy, highlighted the enduring role of compounding medicine and its ability to offer prescribers flexibility despite its diminished presence in today’s pharmaceutical market. This statement was made during an interview.
“There are no limits whatsoever,” said Noorian, Founder & CEO. “Compounding medicine has been around since the beginning of time. That number is now about 2 percent of all prescriptions. Prescribers are learning that compounding pharmacies can bespoke these medications.”
Empower Pharmacy and similar compounding pharmacies play a crucial role in addressing medication access gaps when brand-name treatments like tirzepatide are either in shortage or priced prohibitively high. According to Noorian, during the 2022–2024 supply disruption, compounding allowed “millions of Americans” continued treatment when traditional manufacturers could not meet demand. This underscores how compounding supports patient-centered care amid supply and cost challenges.
Empower Pharmacy reported revenue growth from $119 million in 2022 to $377 million in 2024, reflecting its rapid expansion and increasing patient reliance on its compounded medications—including GLP-1 therapies during shortages—according to the Houston Chronicle. This financial surge illustrates not only patient demand but also the cost-effectiveness of its services amid the soaring prices of branded counterparts.
Compounded GLP-1 therapies offered by Empower were priced as low as $199 per month—a fraction of Eli Lilly’s branded tirzepatide list price above $1,000—enabling access for patients unable to afford the steep cost, as noted by the Houston Chronicle. This price disparity highlights the important affordability dimension compounding pharmacies bring to the healthcare market.
Noorian founded Empower Pharmacy in Houston in 2009, driven by his own need for tailored hormone therapy. With a background bridging engineering and pharmacy, he has steered Empower to become the nation’s largest compounding outsourcing facility—serving millions of patients daily, including during critical shortages of lifesaving medications.
