FDA Approves Mounjaro as a Weight Loss Medication in its Updated Formulation

Eli Lilly’s new drug Zepbound, a version of the popular diabetes treatment Mounjaro, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023 to be sold as a weight-loss drug.

U.S. officials said that Mounjaro, a popular diabetic treatment, can now be sold as a weight-loss medication.

Zepbound, also known as tirzepatide, a recently-released medicine from Eli Lilly, has received FDA approval. According to clinical testing, the medication caused users to lose between forty and sixty pounds.

Zepbound is the latest medicine to be approved for long-term weight control. It is the more powerful version of Novo Nordisk’s diabetic treatment Ozempic, called Wegovy. Every week, injections of both medications are given.

A drug created by Lilly has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States for the treatment of obesity or overweight in people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more and/or a co-occurring condition like diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol. It is suggested that this medication be taken in conjunction with a calorie-restricted diet and regular exercise.

Two extensive trials were carried out in order to acquire FDA clearance; these studies comprised almost 2,500 participants who got various dosages of Zepbound and over 1,000 participants who received fake injections for a 16-month duration. Comparing the highest dose group to the placebo, those without diabetes dropped around 18% of their body weight, or 41 pounds (19 kilograms). Individuals with diabetes, who struggle more to lose weight, had a 12% decrease, or 27 pounds (12 kg), as reported by the FDA.

Zepbound was introduced as a weight reduction remedy this year, and it appears to have more potent results than Wegovy. Wegovy customers dropped an average of 34 pounds (15 kg), or 15% of their body weight, according to research findings.

According to Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital’s obesity medicine expert Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, the medication in question will be the most effective one ever licensed for the treatment of obesity.

Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity specialist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York and co-founder of an organization that treats obesity, noted that many health plans do not cover obesity care, and most patients lack the funds to pay for Zepbound without insurance.

Eli Lilly and Co. stated that Zepbound, their medication, will cost around $1,000 a month, which is the same as Mounjaro. By the end of the year, it should be available in the United States. Additionally, Zepbound and Mounjaro use the same dosage metrics.

Kelly Burns, a 50-year-old resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, recently participated in a 2021 trial on tirzepatide as a treatment for obesity. While using the prescription, she managed to lose about 100 pounds (45 kg), but after the tests ended and she was no longer allowed to take the treatment, she encountered difficulties. She did, however, manage to shed an extra fifty pounds (23 kg).

Burns stated that she feels as though her life has drastically improved, pointing to improvements in her health and her increased sense of confidence. Now that her weight loss plan has been approved, she is investigating if her insurance company would pay for it.

She very clearly said that she wanted to stay in this condition for as long as possible and that it would be ridiculous not to.