The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England has approved a second drug to combat obesity, offering a more effective alternative to semaglutide.
The newly approved drug, tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro in the UK, is recommended for very obese individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35 and at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or sleep apnea.
NICE's draft guidance indicates that clinical trial evidence shows tirzepatide, combined with diet and exercise support, is more effective than diet and exercise alone.
It is also suggested to be more effective than semaglutide, known as Wegovy, which NICE first approved in 2022. Wegovy is produced byNovo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), while Mounjaro is made by Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE:LLY).
Experts predict that Mounjaro will be more accessible and widely used than Wegovy because general practitioners (GPs), not just NHS weight management services, can prescribe it.
This change is expected to increase the number of people taking obesity medication. Clinical trials have demonstrated that tirzepatide helps users lose 22.5% of their body weight over 72 weeks, compared to 16% over 68 weeks with Wegovy.