The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced that all doses of Eli Lilly’s popular weight loss injection Zepbound and diabetes drug Mounjaro are now available in the country. This update comes after a period of time where these medications faced shortages. In fact, some doses of Mounjaro have been in short supply since as early as 2022, while doses of Zepbound were added to the FDA’s shortage list earlier this year after receiving approval in November.
The demand for weight loss and diabetes drugs has been steadily increasing, surpassing the available supply. This predicament has led companies like Eli Lilly and their competitor Novo Nordisk to invest billions in ramping up their manufacturing capabilities to meet the needs of patients. The shortages of Mounjaro and Zepbound, which were previously a cause for concern, are expected to be resolved soon.
CEO David Ricks of Eli Lilly expressed confidence in the company’s ability to address the shortages of Mounjaro and Zepbound. In an interview with Bloomberg, he mentioned that the end of the shortages is imminent, stating, “I think actually today or tomorrow we plan to exit that process.” However, as of Friday, a spokesperson for Eli Lilly had not yet responded to CNBC’s request for comment regarding the FDA’s update on the availability of the medications.
In addition to Eli Lilly’s medications, the FDA also reported that all doses of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes injection Ozempic are available in the U.S. This is positive news for patients who rely on this medication. However, the FDA noted that there are still limited supplies of Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy, indicating that challenges in meeting demand for these types of medications persist.
The availability of Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Mounjaro, as well as Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, signals a positive development for patients in need of these crucial medications. The efforts made by pharmaceutical companies to address shortages and increase production capacity are commendable, and it is hoped that these improvements will help ensure a steady supply of essential drugs for those who depend on them for their health and well-being.