In recent months, there has been increasing interest in using diabetes medications to treat weight loss.
Drugs with brand names like Ozempic and Vegovi have become so popular among Hollywood celebrities and TikTokers; It leads to nationwide shortage For diabetic patients.
But the anti-obesity drug craze is about to be halted by another major development. The diabetes drug Mounjaro may be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDAAccording to the manufacturer, to reduce weight later this year Ellie Lily. The company just completed a late-stage study of the weight-loss drug and found that participants lost more than 50 pounds in about 17 months.
“We haven’t seen this much weight loss,” Dr. said Nadia Ahmad, Lilly’s medical director of obesity clinical development. CBS News.
Analysts predict that Monjaro, commonly called tirzepetide, could become one of the best-selling drugs of all time. Evaluate as much as pharma estimates $50 billion in sales by 2028. To put this in perspective, Novo Nordisk, which makes Ozempic and Wegovi, reported combined sales of about $2.4 billion in 2022.
How does Mounjaro work?
Mounjaro was approved by the FDA last year for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The patient takes it by injection once every week. This drug works by activating two naturally occurring hormones in the body that help reduce appetite and increase feelings of fullness. It also inhibits the craving signals chemically sent from the gut to the brain.
“Psychologically, you don’t want to eat,” said Matthew Barlow, a health technology executive. told CBS News. “Now I can eat two bites of dessert and be satisfied.”
Although trials have shown the drugs to be safe, side effects include nausea and constipation.
Mounjaro is not cheap. Monthly amounts can run as high as $1,400. But if the FDA approves it for weight loss, people prescribed the obesity drug may more easily be covered by insurance.
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