Health & Wellbeing

FDA approves new kind of diabetes drug with anti-obesity potential

FDA approves new kind of diabetes drug with anti-obesity potential
A newly approved drug is a once-weekly injection designed to mimic the action of a gut hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite
A newly approved drug is a once-weekly injection designed to mimic the action of a gut hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite
View 1 Image
A newly approved drug is a once-weekly injection designed to mimic the action of a gut hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite
1/1
A newly approved drug is a once-weekly injection designed to mimic the action of a gut hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and suppress appetite

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new kind of treatment for type 2 diabetes. The once-weekly injection, called Mounjaro (tirzepatide), was found to be more effective at controlling blood sugar levels than other current treatments, and a recent trial found the drug may also be useful as an anti-obesity therapy.

“Given the challenges many patients experience in achieving their target blood sugar goals, today’s approval of Mounjaro is an important advance in the treatment of type 2 diabetes,” said Patrick Archdeacon, from the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Mounjaro falls in a new class of drug treatments for diabetes developed to mimic a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is naturally released by the intestines and known to regulate blood sugar and appetite. The first drug targeting this GLP-1 mechanism, called Wegovy, was approved for type 2 diabetes back in 2017.

This new drug works slightly differently to Wegovy. It has been designed to mimic GLP-1 and another gut hormone called gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP). Clinical trials have found the dual action GLP-1 and GIP agonist can be more effective as a type 2 diabetes treatment than therapies solely targeting GLP-1.

The FDA’s approval of Mounjaro is specifically limited to adults with type 2 diabetes. It is also recommended the drug be used to control blood sugar alongside a diet and exercise program.

Interestingly, these GLP-1 therapies have been recently investigated as strong anti-obesity medicines. Although Wegovy was initially approved by the FDA as a diabetes treatment, subsequent clinical trials found it was an effective anti-obesity drug in overweight non-diabetic subjects. Last year the FDA authorized Wegovy as an anti-obesity treatment.

Just last month preliminary data was reported from a large Phase 3 trial testing the anti-obesity properties of Mounjaro. These results, yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, indicated around two-thirds of overweight subjects on a high dose of Mounjaro dropped 20 percent of their total body weight after using the drug for a year.

The anti-obesity properties of Mounjaro are still being explored across several ongoing clinical trials and this authorization by the FDA does not approve Mounjaro for any uses beyond type 2 diabetes.

Sources: FDA, Ely Lilly

2 comments
2 comments
swade50
What are the side effects and potential availability dates?
Karmudjun
This is welcome news - some patients have reported weight loss with other GLP-1 injections. Sticking to a diet - or even intermittent fasting over periods of 36 hours or more - prove to be difficult in our hectic work day world. But the fact that limiting intake and increasing activity don't work the same with different body types (and ages) so we need to tackle obesity as we learn triggers and 'off switches'. There is much left to learn, but real hope for our obese brethren! Great article, look forward to more. But clearly this GLP-1 targeting and GIP mimicry isn't benign - there is a small risk of thyroid tumors (thyroid C-cell tumors developed in rats) so there are some questions to ask your doctor before pursuing this drug for weight loss.