Eli Lilly and Company (India) on Thursday said it has launched a first-of-its-kind medication for obesity and type 2 diabetes in the country after obtaining approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

The company said it has introduced Mounjaro in a single-dose vial presentation following the marketing authorisation from the CDSCO.

It is a first-of-its-kind treatment for obesity, overweight, and type 2 diabetes that activates both GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone receptors.

Mounjaro is indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity) or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition.

It is also indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

“The dual burden of obesity and type 2 diabetes is rapidly emerging as a major public health challenge in India. Lilly is committed to collaborating with the government and industry to promote awareness and improve the prevention and management of these diseases,” Eli Lilly India President and General Manager Winselow Tucker said.

The company’s mission is to make life better for people living with obesity and diabetes in India, he added.

India has about 101 million people living with diabetes and nearly half of these in the adult patients category are being inadequately treated with suboptimal glycemic control.

Obesity, a chronic relapsing disease, is a major risk factor for diabetes and is linked to over 200 health complications, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, and obstructive sleep apnea.

As of 2023, adult obesity prevalence in India stood at around 6.5 per cent, affecting nearly 100 million people.

Once-a-weekly, prescription-based medicine, Mounjaro is a single molecule that selectively binds to and activates both GIP and GLP-1 receptors, which are natural incretin hormones.

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