Kathe Conley
Nov 11, 2023 - 12:10

U.S. FDA Approves New Version of Diabetes Drug Mounjaro for Weight Loss

New diabetes drug Zepbound, also known as tirzepatide, can be sold as a weight-loss drug, helping dieters lose 40-60 pounds.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new version of the diabetes treatment Mounjaro as a weight-loss drug. The drug, named Zepbound, is produced by Eli Lilly and Co. and is also known as tirzepatide. In testing, Zepbound helped dieters lose as much as 40 to 60 pounds. This makes Zepbound the latest diabetes drug approved for chronic weight management, joining Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, a high-dose version of its diabetes treatment Ozempic.

The FDA approved Lilly's drug for people who are considered obese, with a body mass index of 30 or higher, or those who are overweight with a related health condition, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. The drug should be paired with a reduced-calorie diet and regular exercise.

The drugs tirzepatide in Zepbound and Mounjaro, and semaglutide in Wegovy and Ozempic work by mimicking hormones that regulate appetite and the feeling of fullness after eating. The FDA's approval of Zepbound was based on two large studies, which showed that participants without diabetes who received the highest dose lost about 18% of their weight, or about 41 pounds, compared to placebo. Those with diabetes cut about 12%, or nearly 27 pounds.

Overall, Zepbound appears to spur greater weight loss than Wegovy. Approved for weight loss in 2021, Wegovy helped people lose about 15% of their weight, according to study results.

Side effects of the new weight-loss drug include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and other gastrointestinal problems. While experts lauded approval of Zepbound, they worried that it wouldn't necessarily mean greater access to the drug, which has been prescribed "off-label" to help people lose weight.

Eli Lilly and Co. said the list price will be about $1,000 a month, the same as Mounjaro. The drug is expected to be available in the U.S. by the end of the year, the company said.