Weight Loss Drug Suppresses Appetite, Awaits FDA Approval

• Approved for the treatment of diabetes, tirzepatide helps with weight loss by suppressing appetite.
• A similar drug called semaglutide was approved for obesity and became very popular, causing a shortage.
• However, long-term patient insurance and access are uncertain.

Another weight-loss drug designed to treat diabetes is part of a promising new class of drugs that may help with weight loss.

Tirzepatide, marketed under the brand name Mounjaro, has been noted for its dramatic weight loss results, with clinical trials showing patients to lose 20% of their body weight in 16 months while using it.

Dr. Robert Gavey, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of the American Diabetes Association, said the results of the study represent a breakthrough level of weight loss that is normally unheard of without weight loss surgery. America today.

Despite its potential, there are many unknowns about the drug’s future, including access to patients, according to experts in obesity medicine.

There are potential drawbacks to how tirzepatide works, how it is prescribed, side effects, costs, and insurance issues.

Not yet approved for weight loss, but doctors can prescribe it

One of the most popular existing weight-loss drugs, called semaglutide, was born as a diabetes drug, FDA approval to treat obesity in 2021was so popular that it was out of stock.

A similar story could unfold for tirzepatide. It has not been approved by the FDA for weight loss, but providers expect that to change based on studies showing its potential for obese patients.

‘Hopefully it will be approved to treat obesity,’ says endocrinologist and obesity medicine expert Dr. Scott Isaacs It’s not clear when, but he told Insider.

In the meantime, patients will continue to have access to their medication. The lack of FDA approval for weight loss means manufacturers cannot market the drug for weight loss, Isaacs said. Because tirzepatide is already FDA-approved for use in diabetes, doctors can prescribe it to patients, even for other purposes, if they think it will help.

Helps suppress appetite, similar to drugs like semaglutide

According to Isaacs, Tirzapetide works like other antidiabetic drugs used to treat obesity.

“It’s more like other drugs than different,” he said.

Patients taking the drug feel more full because it acts on a hormone called GLP-1 that controls appetite. Tirzapeptide also uniquely acts on another hormone related to insulin.

Several Studies claim tirzepatide is more effective for weight loss than other drugsbased on clinical trials showing more pounds lost.

But Isaacs said the evidence was inconclusive because the study was designed to focus on diabetes rather than weight loss and did not use the strongest doses of semaglutide available.

“It’s thought to be more effective, but no one knows if it’s more effective,” he said.

Like similar drugs, tirzepatide can cause side effects such as nausea.

Long-term purchases can be difficult

One of the biggest current questions about tirzepatide is whether it is affordable and available to patients who need it long-term.

The high cost of weight loss medications can usually be a deterrent for patients. Semaglutide, for example, sells as an obesity drug for $1,349 per month.

Most insurance plans don’t cover weight loss drugs, Isaacs said.

“It is a huge burden for patients to prove they are eligible for the drug,” he said.

Tilzepatide has gained popularity as a prescription weight loss drug. This is because there is a discount available for this drug for $25 for a 1-3 month supply. manufacturer’s website. now that discount Only available for people with type 2 diabetes.

A problem with weight loss drugs such as tirzepatide and semaglutide is that patients must continue to take the drug to maintain their weight loss.

“I want to take it long-term because I know the weight will come back when I stop taking it,” Isaacs said.

However, the discount is set to expire next year, so patients taking tirzapeptide will need to find alternative means of purchasing the drug.

“There are a lot of unknowns. We are doing our best and hope things change,” said Isaacs. “I’m very open with my patients, but I’m worried about next June.”