New weight-loss drug Zepbound is now available, company says

The newly authorized weight-loss treatment often known as Zepbound is now obtainable for sufferers to take, drug maker Eli Lilly introduced Tuesday.

“At present opens one other chapter for adults dwelling with weight problems who’ve been on the lookout for a brand new remedy possibility like Zepbound,” Rhonda Pacheco, group vice chairman of Lilly Diabetes and Weight problems, U.S., mentioned in an organization news release.

“The supply of Zepbound in U.S. pharmacies is step one, however we’ve to work hand-in-hand with employers, authorities and well being care business companions to take away boundaries and make Zepbound obtainable to those that want it,” Pacheco added. “We’re excited to see rising [insurance] protection within the market, giving hundreds of thousands of People entry to Zepbound.”

It was solely final month when the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration approved Zepbound as a weight-loss treatment. Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Zepbound, had already been authorized by the FDA as a remedy for sort 2 diabetes known as Mounjaro.

To set off weight reduction, tirzepatide mimics two hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, which stimulate the discharge of insulin within the physique. It quells urge for food and slows the speed at which meals strikes by means of the abdomen, serving to sufferers really feel full. Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss treatment, Wegovy, makes use of semaglutide, which solely focuses on GLP-1.

That distinction translated to higher weight reduction with Zepbound than Wegovy, a current examine discovered. Zepbound has been found to prompt up to a 20.9% drop in weight at higher doses, whereas Wegovy sufferers sometimes see a 15% reduction in weight.

In accordance with the FDA, Zepbound’s most typical unwanted side effects embody nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea, in response to the FDA.

The drug’s label may even have warnings in regards to the potential for irritation of the pancreas, gallbladder issues, low blood sugar, acute kidney injury, harm to the retina in individuals with sort 2 diabetes, and suicidal habits or considering.

How broadly Zepbound will probably be lined nonetheless stays unclear, CNN reported. Medicare and Medicaid cannot cowl weight problems drugs, however Lilly mentioned it’s providing a financial savings card for individuals with private insurance to get Zepbound for $25 for a one- or three-month prescription if their plans cowl it. For these whose plans do not cowl Zepbound, the financial savings card would decrease the fee to $550 per thirty days, or roughly half the record value, the corporate mentioned.

Amid skyrocketing demand for weight-loss medication, many of those wildly well-liked medication have confronted provide shortages in current months.

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