The diabetes and obesity treatment drug 'Mounjaro' that gained sensational popularity in the United States will be launched in Korea next month.
Eli Lilly's Korean subsidiary, Korea Lilly, announced on the 23rd that it would launch Mounjaro prefilled pen (active ingredient: tirzepatide) for patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity in Korea.
Mounjaro has been launched as an obesity treatment two years after receiving approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as a treatment for type 2 diabetes on June 2023. It was approved for obesity treatment in Korea last year after an indication was added. A Korea Lilly official noted, "Mounjaro will be launched around mid-next month," adding, "Distributors will take orders from hospitals and pharmacies, and prescriptions will be made afterward."
Mounjaro is a drug that mimics the glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 hormone, similar to the obesity treatment Wegovy from Denmark's Novo Nordisk. It was developed as a diabetes treatment to enhance the secretion of insulin, which regulates blood sugar, and later evolved into an obesity treatment after weight loss effects were confirmed. In the United States, the diabetes treatment is marketed under the name Mounjaro, while the obesity treatment is marketed as Zepbound, but in Korea, the product name is unified as Mounjaro.
Mounjaro is administered via subcutaneous injection, with patients self-administering it once a week. It is the only dual-action obesity treatment that works on both GLP-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP). GLP-1 stimulates insulin secretion, reduces appetite, and increases satiety. GIP breaks down fat cells and reduces nausea.
Regarding the domestic supply price, the company stated, "We cannot disclose that." Considering that generic drugs are generally sold and marketed at lower prices than initially launched competing drugs, there are expectations that it will be priced lower than the competing drug Wegovy. Previously, the 2.4 mg domestic supply price of Wegovy from the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, which was released earlier in Korea, was about 370,000 won for a 4-week supply.
However, when adding distribution costs, medical fees, and prescription expenses, patients' actual financial burdens may increase. Obesity treatments are excluded from insurance coverage, so patients bear the full cost of the medication. An industry source said, "Since it is not covered by insurance, there is a large price variance among medical institutions," and added, "With the launch of Mounjaro, competition is being established against Wegovy, which has monopolized the market in the country, which is positive for patients and consumers."
Mounjaro can only be prescribed to adult patients with type 2 diabetes, 'obese patients' with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, and overweight patients with a BMI of 27-30 who have conditions such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, or cardiovascular disease. The company recommends an initial treatment dose of 2.5 mg once a week, increasing to 5 mg once a week after 4 weeks.