Eli Lilly, a major US-based pharma company, has received approvals from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization of India for marketing of its popular diabetes and obesity drug, Mounjaro Kwikpen
Mounjaro a weight-loss and diabetes drug
Mounjaro KwikPen is a multiple-dose, prescription-based medication used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management in adults. This has received approval for six dose strengths ranging from 2.5 mg to 15 mg.
Winselow Tucker, President and General Manager, Lilly India, said in a statement that with this approval, all six dosage options for Mounjaro will soon be available in India, supporting a more personalized approach to treatment and allowing healthcare professionals to tailor care based on individual patient needs and clinical goals.
Mounjaro: How does the medicine work?
Eli Lilly is offering Mounjaro in India in the company’s proprietary KwikPen form, a prefilled multi-dose injection. According to the company statement, the medication GIP and GIP-1 hormone receptors are the natural hormones that regulate the body’s blood sugar and appetite.
Furthermore, Mounjaro acts in a glucose-dependent manner, meaning it responds to the blood sugar level of the patient. In its first phase, the drug releases the stored insulin in the body after a meal, and in the second phase, it produces insulin if blood sugar stays high. Additionally, it delays the movement of food in the stomach, resulting in reduced appetite.
Diabetes a growing worry for India?
India has one of the highest numbers of people living with diabetes. According to the India Council of Medical Research, over 101 million people in India suffer from diabetes. Secondly, about 6.5 percent of the Indian population suffers from adult obesity, says a World Obesity report. This high number of diabetes and obesity patients provides Eli Lilly with a huge market for Mounjaro.
Eli Lilly is not the only global pharmaceutical major that has eyes on the massive diabetes and obesity market in India. The Danish pharmaceutical major, Novo Nordisk, has also launched Wegovy, an obesity medication, in the Indian market