LAST UPDATE | 10 Feb

THE SO-CALLED ‘King Kong’ of weight-loss drugs will be available in Ireland via private prescription from next week.

Mounjaro, a brand name for tirzepatide, can be used to treat obesity or type-2 diabetes. It will be available in pharmacies from next Monday, 17 February.

The medication, which is expected to cost over €215 per month, needs to be injected weekly. It is effective in regulating blood sugar and insulin for people with type-2 diabetes, and in suppressing appetite for people with obesity.

A spokesperson for Lilly, the drug’s manufacturer, confirmed it will make “the first maintenance dose of 5mg” available to distributors for around €215 for a four-dose pen (a month’s supply). It is expected to cost more for the consumer.

Last year, Lilly (formerly known as Eli Lilly) applied to the HSE for reimbursement of the medication for type-2 diabetes (in January 2024) and obesity (last June). The HSE has yet to decide whether or not it will reimburse the drug for patients.

In both cases, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) recommended a full health technology assessment (HTA) which will examine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the drug. These assessments are ongoing.

A spokesperson for the HSE told The Journal both applications remain “under consideration”, adding they “cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process”.

The spokesperson said the HSE is “committed to providing access to as many medicines as possible”.

The HSE robustly assesses applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to Irish citizens and patients.

Speaking about the rollout of Mounjaro in Ireland, Khalil Asmar, Associate Vice President of Cardiometabolic Health at Lilly Northern Europe, said: “Diabetes and obesity are chronic, long-term conditions with a huge impact on people’s health and quality of life.

“We recognise there is significant unmet need in these areas and are pleased to be able to bring this treatment option to Ireland.”

‘King Kong’ of weight-loss

Mounjaro has been labelled the ‘King Kong’ of this type of medication because it provides greater weight-loss than certain competitors, according to research.

In a clinical trial, people using Mounjaro experienced weight-loss of 20.2%, compared to 13.7% for semaglutide (which is sold under the brand name Ozempic).

There has been a soaring demand for Ozempic and similar products in recent months due to their slimming properties.

Hundreds of websites illegally selling Ozempic have been shut down by the Irish Health Products Regulatory Authority, and experts have warned these medications should only be used when prescribed by a doctor.

The most common side effects with Mounjaro (which may affect more than one in 10 people) include problems with the digestive system, such as nausea and diarrhoea. Up to one in 10 people taking the medication experience constipation and vomiting.