Weight Loss Drugs

Eli Lilly shares hit an all-time high after receiving FDA approval for Zepbound, an injectable medicine to help people lose weight.  The drug’s active ingredient, tirzepatide, had previously been approved to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes under the brand name Mounjaro.  A Phase 3 trial indicated that some Zepbound patients lost more than 58 pounds after 72 weeks of treatment.  Retail costs can be over $1000 per month for such medicines.  The FDA’s approval comes as demand has skyrocketed for treatments that can help patients lose weight, boosting sales for Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy.  For decades, diet and exercise have been a go-to, but it’s not uncommon for a person to have tried 20-30 times to lose weight with this approach.  Research now shows that the body may respond to a calorie-deficit diet by increasing hunger and reducing feelings of fullness, making weight loss more difficult.  Lilly is aiming to eliminate misperceptions about this disease and transform how it can be managed.