US FDA approves Lilly weight-loss drug

Tirzepatide is already approved under the trade name Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and had been increasingly used "off-label" for weight loss while the obesity approval was pending.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Eli Lilly's drug for weight loss, giving the U.S. drugmaker official entry into a lucrative market that has captured Wall Street's enthusiasm this year. The FDA approved tirzepatide, to be sold under the brand name Zepbound, for use by adults with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30, or a BMI of 27 or more if a patient also has another weight-related health issue, such as heart disease.

"Obesity and overweight are serious conditions that can be associated with some of the leading causes of death such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes,” John Sharretts, a director in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. Tirzepatide is already approved under the trade name Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and had been increasingly used "off-label" for weight loss while the obesity approval was pending.

 

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