Overview of Weight Loss Drugs: Obesity and It’s Management
Context: Recently, India’s drug regulator’s expert committee granted initial approval for tirzepatide, allowing Eli Lilly to prepare for its launch in the Indian market pending final regulatory clearance.
More on news:
- Weight loss drugs have revolutionised obesity treatment in the US and Europe but have not been available in India due to regulatory delays and high international demand.
- Eli Lilly obtained FDA approval for tirzepatide as Zepbound in November 2023, following the popularity of Mounjaro, also used off-label for weight loss.
- Both Zepbound and Mounjaro contain tirzepatide and are experiencing shortages worldwide.
Semaglutide vs tirzepatide:
- FDA approved Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) for chronic weight management in adults with obesity (BMI > 30) or overweight (BMI 27-30) with health conditions.
- Administered via under-the-skin injections, alongside reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
- Semaglutide and tirzepatide are polypeptides that elevate GLP-1, regulating weight through brain and gut pathways.
- GLP-1 in the gut stimulates neurons, modifying gut function to induce fullness and trigger satiety.
- Both drugs aid in managing glucose levels, beneficial for diabetes treatment.
- Semaglutide targets GLP-1 receptors, while tirzepatide enhances GIP action in brain and fat cells.
Diabetes drug for weight loss:
- In 2017, the US FDA approved Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, noting significant weight loss as a side effect.
- Doctors then began prescribing Ozempic off-label for obesity, sparking a social media trend with influencers showcasing weight loss transformations.
- Capitalising on Ozempic’s unintended weight loss benefit, Novo Nordisk launched Wegovy in 2021, a semaglutide injection specifically for obesity treatment, allowing for a slightly higher maximum dose than Ozempic.
- Both drugs face global shortages due to high demand.
Common Side Effects Of Zepbound (tirzepatide):
- Drug may cause several common side effects:
- Nausea, Diarrhoea, Vomiting, Constipation, Abdominal pain etc.
- Serious Risks: Thyroid Tumours
- Zepbound is strictly a prescription medicine and should not be used for cosmetic weight loss purposes.
Definition of Overweight and Obesity:
- Overweight and obesity are characterised by abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that poses health risks.
- A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is classified as overweight, and over 30 is classified as obese.
- In 2019, approximately 5 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) were linked to elevated BMI levels.
Trends in Overweight and Obesity:
- Rates of overweight and obesity are increasing globally among both adults and children.
- From 1990 to 2022, the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents aged 5–19 years quadrupled from 2% to 8%.
- Among adults aged 18 years and older, obesity rates more than doubled from 7% to 16% over the same period.
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Obesity in India: |