We’re About to See More Generic Weight Loss Drugs!
Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the diabetes medication Mounjaro, can help patients lose almost 16% of their body weight, according to trial data shared by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. The weight loss seen in this study was greater than that seen from other medications for obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to Lilly. The company said it will ask the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant an indication for weight management—something the drug is not currently approved for, despite its off-label use.
“It’s great that we have another medication that helps people to lose weight as well as improving glycemic control. If [tirzepatide] is approved for the management of obesity, I think that’s a welcome addition for us as obesity experts to prescribe,” David Lau, MD, PhD, adjunct professor in the departments of medicine, biochemistry and molecular biology, and kinesiology at the University of Calgary, told Verywell.
Wegovy (semaglutide) is currently the most effective drug indicated for weight loss in the United States. Approving tirzepatide for weight loss would add another strong obesity treatment option, both for people with and without diabetes, said Dan Bessesen, MD, an endocrinologist and a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado.
Excerpted from Very Well Health
