The drug is approved for use for diabetic patients in the United States, but the company wants to release its use for obesity. The data has not yet been peer-reviewed
Pharmacist Eli Lilly and Co. said this week that its drug Tizerpatida, approved in the United States for the treatment of type 2 diabetes under the brand name Mounjaro, has helped people who are overweight or obese lose up to 15.6 kilograms in a 72-week period. The study, the company says, is already well advanced, but has not yet been published in scientific journals or reviewed by independent researchers.
In recent years, the race among pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs for obesity has accelerated. Two of them – Ozempic and Wegovy – have been recommended off-label (outside the package insert) by doctors and have been widely advertised by influencers on social networks.
Medical bodies have warned of the risks of the indiscriminate use of these products. They also consider the need to evaluate the best weight loss strategies, which include dietary changes and exercise, on a case-by-case basis.
How were the tests?
- Tirzepatide is in Phase 3 development for overweight or obese adults with weight-related comorbidities.
- Participants had a mean body weight of 100.7 kg at baseline
- Eli Lilly said the clinical trials lasted 72 weeks and included 938 obese or overweight participants with type 2 diabetes.
- The volunteers who received the highest dose lost up to 15.6 kilograms (15.7% of starting weight), according to the company.
- According to the pharmaceutical company, the main secondary objectives have also been achieved, such as the reduction of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and other cardiometabolic parameters
- The most common side effects reported were mild to moderate gastrointestinal problems such as nausea and diarrhea.
- The results have not yet been published in scientific journals or peer-reviewed by independent researchers.
According to the lab, the new data bolsters previous studies, in which the drug helped participants without diabetes lose up to 22 percent of their weight with weekly injections, according to the company. For the average patient given the highest possible dose of the drug in previous studies, Eli Lilly says, the loss exceeded 50 pounds.
“We hadn’t seen this degree of weight reduction,” says Nadia Ahmad, medical director of clinical development for obesity at Eli Lilly.
- The drug intends to apply for registration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), equivalent to Anvisa in the United States, so that the product is sold for weight loss.
- The use of Mounjaro for diabetes in the United States was approved in 2022 and has already received approval from Japanese authorities as well. The expectation is for a response from the US agency on the use for obesity by the end of the year.
Is this medicine sold in Brazil?
In Brazil, the release of the drug for use against diabetes is still under consideration by Anvisa. If approved to treat weight loss, tirzepatida could become the most effective drug to date in an arsenal of drugs that are changing the treatment of obesity, which is related to dozens of diseases leading to disability or even death.
Industry analysts predict that tirzepatida could become one of the world’s most traded drugs, with annual sales exceeding $50 billion each. It is expected to outsell Ozempic and Wegovy, versions of the drug also sold as semaglutide and approved for weight loss, in 2021. Together, the two earned more than $10 billion last year.
How does it work? Is it different from the others?
Independent research to compare the two drugs is already planned.
- Ozempic and Wegovy are two different versions of semaglutide. This drug mimics an essential gut hormone, GLP-1, which is activated after a person eats and triggers the release of insulin, slowing the liver’s release of sugar. It slows down digestion and reduces appetite, making you feel fuller for longer. Trials with semaglutide showed about 15% weight loss over a 16-month period.
- Tirzepatida is the first drug that uses the action of two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, in an attempt to achieve better effects. It also promises to act on the chemical signals sent from the intestine to the brain, inhibiting food cravings and thoughts.
What are the side effects?
- Medications can cause side effects, some serious. The most common reactions are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, constipation and stomach pain. There are also reports of pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas and gallbladder stones. Mounjaro’s description warns that it can even cause thyroid cancer, including cancer.
There are other downsides too: versions of semaglutide have been on the market for many years, but the long-term effects of taking overriding drugs on human metabolism are still unclear. Preliminary evidence suggests that when people stop taking these drugs, they gain weight back.
However, these remedies are expensive. In the US, Wegovy costs about US$1,300 a month (about R$6,500 at the current dollar exchange rate). Mounjaro used for diabetes starts at US$1,000 per month (R$5,000). / INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
