US-based Eli Lilly is about to launch a more convenient, pen-filled version of its weight-loss medication Mounjaro in India, just months after it was first introduced there. This would intensify its competition with Novo Nordisk in the country’s emerging but very promising obesity medication market.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has granted the US-based pharmaceutical company market authorisation to introduce the Mounjaro KwikPen, a multi-dose, single-patient-use prefilled pen intended for once-weekly administration, the company stated on Thursday. The medication was only offered in injectable vials with two dosing strengths up to this point. According to the business, the entire dose range will soon be accessible in India.
Winselow Tucker, president and general manager of Lilly India, stated in the release that “all six dosage options for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalised approach to treatment and allowing healthcare professionals to tailor care based on individual patient needs and clinical goals.” Healthcare professionals claim that patients prefer pen devices over vials since they are considerably simpler for self-administration.
Cost Details
The monthly cost of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy in dosages of 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg is Rs 17,345. A 2.4 mg dosage will cost Rs 26,050, which equates to Rs 4,366 each week for an injection, while a higher dose version of 1.75 mg would cost Rs 24,280 every month. Starting with the lowest dose of 0.25 mg weekly for four weeks, the drug’s dosage will be gradually increased to 0.5 mg weekly for one month and 1 mg weekly for another. This will happen in a four-week cycle. The doctor who provided the medication will next decide whether to maintain, lower, or raise the dosage further based on the results.
What distinguishes Wegovy from medications such as Mounjaro and Ozempic?
Semaglutide, a GLP 1A receptor agonist, is the active ingredient in Wegovy. It functions similarly to the natural hormone GLP-1, which controls blood sugar, suppresses hunger, and slows down stomach emptying. Wegovy can help people lose weight, but only if they are overweight, or what is known as morbid obesity. Ozempic is primarily used to treat diabetes. The dosage is the primary distinction between the two. For the same, Rybelsus is an oral medication.
Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, functions similarly to the natural hormones GIP and GLP-1. It improves glucose regulation, aids in weight reduction, and increases insulin production in response to meal consumption.
According to a direct comparison of tirzepatide and semaglutide, tirzepatide users were more likely to lose weight on average. After a year, 18.1% of those on semaglutide and 42.3% of those using tirzepatide dropped 15% of their body weight. Additionally, the average weight reduction was larger with tirzepatide (15.3%) than with semaglutide (8.3%).
Response of Patients
Given that three out of four diabetic patients in India prefer oral drugs, experts say oral semaglutide has been warmly received by both patients and doctors in India. Novo Nordisk hopes to provide Wegovy as an additional tool for treating long-term weight problems.
Experts emphasised that around one in three Wegovy patients saw weight reduction of 20% or more. Highlight is the medication’s good performance in response to questions concerning the higher efficacy criteria set by newer compounds like tirzepatide (mounjaro). Lesser strengths of semaglutide have previously shown efficacy equivalent to injectables for diabetes. Greater oral dosages are presently being evaluated for weight reduction.