The United States has officially approved the use of Zepbound by Eli Lilly for weight loss. The company has announced the cost of the weekly injectable drug, dosage, insurance subsidies, and the date it will be available on store shelves. Zepbound is the official brand of the drug Munjaro, which is used to treat type 2 diabetes and control weight. At the same time, regulatory authorities in the UK have also given the go-ahead to prescribe Munjaro for weight control and weight loss. Its active ingredient is tirzepatide, which has shown better results than semaglutide, which is contained in similar drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Mounjaro for diabetes in May 2022, but it is widely prescribed off-label for weight loss. Now it is allowed to be used specifically to fight obesity. Zepbound enters the market at a time when its competitor, the Danish company Novo Nordisk, is trying to meet the demand for Ozempic and Wegovy. To avoid a shortage, Eli Lilly will double its production capacity by the end of 2023. About 5 million people in the United States are already eligible to use Munjaro. Once approved, 50 million adults will be able to access Zepbound, and insurance will cover half of the cost.
Zepbound, like Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for obesity, is an agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) hormone. The drug mimics this hormone to help reduce food intake, slow stomach emptying, and curb appetite. However, unlike Ozempic and Wegovy, the active ingredient in Zepbound is tirzepatide, not semaglutide. Tirzepatide mimics a second hormone, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which also helps the body to break down sugar and fat.
The FDA approval was based on studies involving 2,539 adults with obesity and other weight-related problems other than diabetes. In studies that also focused on diet and exercise, participants with an average starting weight of 105 kg lost an average of 22 kg at the highest dose of 15 mg and 11 kg at the lowest dose of 5 mg. Zepbound is administered by injection once a week and is available in six doses: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg. This will cost $1059 per month, which is about 20% cheaper than the 2.5 mg dose of Wegovy.
The pharmaceutical company also launched a discount system to make these rather expensive medicines more affordable. People whose commercial insurance covers the cost of Zepbound can pay as little as $25 for a one- or three-month prescription. If Zepbound is not covered by their insurance, people can still access the medication at a subsidized price of $550 per month.
As with Ozempic and Wegovy, Zepbound may cause side effects in the gastrointestinal tract. The most common are: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, injection site reactions, fatigue, hypersensitivity, heartburn, hair loss, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Tirzepatide is currently under review by regulatory authorities in Europe and China.
