Tirzepatide (better known by its brand name Mounjaro) has recently been authorised by the U.K. medicines regulation authority f(MHRA) for use in weight loss and weight management. The decision was made on the same day the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a version of tirzepatide called Zepbound for weight management.

At the moment, Mounjaro has only been authorised for weight management in people who are obese, or those who are overweight and have weight-related health problems (such as high blood pressure or pre-diabetes). The drug is to be used in combination with lifestyle changes to aid in weight loss.

To get Mounjaro with the UKweightloss team, you will need to complete your free online consultation to begin the assessment process and complete any necessary blood tests.

Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) for weight loss:

Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) is an injectable prescription to treat obesity and has proven to be effective in weight management treatment. Mounjaro is MHRA approved for management of obesity or diabetes.

How does Tirzepatide work?

The active ingredient in Mounjaro (which is prescribed for obesity or diabetes treatment) is Tirzepatide. Tirzepatide works in a similar way as Semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.

Both semaglutide and tirzepatide are drugs that are modelled on naturally occurring gut hormones called incretins. Incretins are produced by the gut in response to eating. They have a range of effects, including slowing emptying of food from the stomach and increasing insulin levels.

These effects are useful for controlling blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, which is why both drugs have been licensed to manage type 2 diabetes or Obesity.

But the reason incretine hormones have garnered so much interest for weight management is because they also produce a sense of fullness after a meal. They do this by signalling to a brain region called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus then passes the signal on to other areas of the brain, leading to a person feeling full.

Drugs that mimic the action of incretins may cause weight loss because they make a person feel full – making them want to eat less.

How is Mounjaro different from Wegovy?

There are many types of naturally occurring incretin hormones – including glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).

Drugs that act on GLP-1 receptors have been very successful in treating diabetes since their launch in 2006. In 2020, Saxenda (liraglutide) was the first GLP-1 receptor drug approved to manage obesity. The most recent addition to the family of medicines that act on GLP-1 receptors has been semaglutide, which has been licensed to both manage type 2 diabetes (Ozempic) and obesity (Wegovy).

What makes tirzepatide different is that it acts not just on the body’s GLP-1 receptors, but also on its GIP receptors. This makes tirzepatide a “dual incretin”. Both GLP-1 and GIP release insulin. It’s thought that the two work together, which is why tirzepatide may lead to a greater therapeutic effect.

Is tirzepatide more effective than semaglutide?

Based on the data we have so far from clinical trials, it appears tirzepatide may lead to greater weight loss when compared to semaglutide.

Trials have shown that a once-weekly injection of 2.4 mg of semaglutide in people who are overweight or obese can lead to an average loss of 15% body weight which persisted for the 104 weeks of medication use.

In comparison, clinical trials of tirzepatide have shown that in people who are obese, a once-weekly injection of the lowest dose of tirzepatide (5mg) leads to a 15% loss of body weight after just 72 weeks. Even more impressively, a once-weekly injection of the highest dose of tirzepatide (20mg) is shown to lead to approximately 20% body weight loss.

Over one-third of participants using tirzepatide achieved weight loss of 25% or more. This is impressive – and greater than the amount of weight loss seen with semaglutide. This degree of weight loss is comparable to that achieved by gastric band surgery.

Other considerations

Patients who are prescribed Mounjaro will be given a one-weekly injection of 2.5mg for four weeks to begin with. After this, the patient may then decide to increase their dosage in 5mg increments every four weeks or so, up to a maximum 15mg dosage.

As with other incretin drugs, tirzepatide comes with potential side effects. The most commonly reported ones are constipation, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.

Another important consideration with all incretin drugs is that the effects only last as long as the drug is being used. Any weight lost while using the drug may be fully regained within a year of stopping it. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may help mitigate weight regain somewhat after stopping the drug.

Mounjaro is due to become available early in 2024. It’s authorisation for weight management will be welcome news for many who have struggled to lose weight in the past and those who have weight-related health problems.

What remains to be seen is whether there will be enough supply of tirzepatide to meet demand, which has been an issue with semaglutide over the past year.

Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) is a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist, meaning that it works on both glucose-dependent insulin tropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors. This can be used with other diabetes medications, including metformin, sulfonylureas and SGLT2 inhibitors.

Weightloss

Although Mounjaro is approved for weight loss management in the U.K.

Based on the results of the SURMOUNT-1 clinical trial, if Mounjaro were approved for weight loss, it would likely become the most effective weight loss drug available.

The safety and tolerability profile for Tirzepatide is felt to be similar to other related diabetes medicines such as Semaglutide and Liraglutide.

Mounjaro side effects would include:

Nausea, diarrhoea, burps, bloatedness, constipation, vomiting etc.

Additional study is ongoing and looking closely for other unanticipated adverse effects. There is no long-term safety data on this drug as yet.

If you experience a serious allergic reaction, seek emergency medical attention immediately.

How to take Mounjaro

Mounjaro, also known as Tirzepatide, is available in the following doses:  2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, or 15 mg per 0.5 ml injection (prefilled pen or vals).  The medication is designed to be injected weekly into the skin (subcutaneously).  After beginning at the starting dose, should additional clinical effects be needed, our Prescriber may recommend increasing to the next highest Tirzepatide dose at 4 week intervals.

Who should not take Mounjaro

Mounjaro can’t be used by anyone pregnant, plans to become pregnant within the next 3 months, or is breastfeeding. Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) also should not be used if you have ever had pancreatitis, medullary thyroid carcinoma (thyroid C cell tumours), or if there is a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or something called the MEN2 (multiple endocrine neoplasia’s) syndrome.

It is important to note that Mounjaro has been shown to decrease the effectiveness of oral birth control.  Patients using oral hormonal contraceptives should switch to a non-oral contraceptive method before starting this medication. 

How do you qualify for Mounjaro?

Mounjaro is approved for weightloss and diabetes. Contact us online to discuss your health concerns and start the assessment process for Mounjaro.

This would include discussing your medical history, current medication and ordering tests and checks to determine if you qualify for a Mounjaro prescription.

Wegovy and Saxenda are type 2 diabetes medications that are extremely effective for weight loss. They have now been approved for weight loss only without type 2 diabetes. Speak to us about how Wegovy and Saxenda could be right for you.

Can I get a Mounjaro prescription online?

You may be able to get a Mounjaro prescription after your consultation with us, to discuss your medical history and completing any necessary assessments.

If you are looking for weight management options, book an appointment with us.

How does Mounjaro work for weight loss?

Mounjaro works for weight loss by reducing hunger and slowing digestion.

Tirzepatide is what is known as a “dual glucose-dependent insulin tropic polypeptide–GLP-1 receptor agonist.”

This long and complicated name means it can do two things:

1. Stimulate GLP-1 receptors in the body to both help control blood sugar and reduce hunger, promoting weight loss.

2. Promote release of glucose-dependent insulin tropic polypeptide which helps modulate levels of a hormone called glucagon and improve insulin sensitivity of adipose (fat) tissue.

Is Mounjaro the same as Ozempic or Wegovy?

Mounjaro and Ozempic/ Wegovy are in the same class of drugs, but work via different mechanisms. Mounjaro works on GIP and GLP-1 receptors, while Ozempic / Wegovy only works on GLP-1 receptors. Both are used to treat type 2 diabetes and can promote weight loss. To find out which one is right for you, speak to us.

How much does Mounjaro cost?

If you qualify for a Mounjaro prescription – your monthly cost may vary depending on your dose (www.ukweightloss.co.uk/products).

What does Mounjaro do to your body?

Mounjaro helps control blood sugar and reduce hunger by releasing more insulin, less sugar, and slowing down digestion. This helps treat diabetes and can promote weight loss.

Can I get Tirzepatide yet?

Distribution of Tirzepatide to pharmacies may begin in early 2024 but there is limited availability.

What have been the results of the Mounjaro clinical trials?

A study published in 2021 called SURPASS-2 on over 1800 participants found that Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) + metformin was superior to Semaglutide  + metformin on reduction in Haemoglobin A1C in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes.  When evaluating Tirzepatide vs. Semaglutide, as a secondary endpoint, 5.5% more weight loss was noted in the Tirzepatide group compared to the Semaglutide group.

The most recent clinical trial awaiting publication, called SURMOUNT-1, reports that the average weight loss among over 2500 trial participants was 16% at 72 weeks.  Adults who were randomly assigned to receive Tirzepatide had average weight losses of 16% with 5 mg of the drug, 21.4% with 10 mg, and 22.5% with 15 mg, compared with only 2.4% weight loss with participants who took a placebo. Of the Tirzepatide group, 89% achieved a weight loss of at least 5% compared with 28% in the placebo group as well. The average BMI of trial participants starting off was 38, and was reduced to an average of 30, with many subjects getting into the normal range.

The SURMOUNT-1 trial is still ongoing, and additional key outcome measures under study include progression to type 2 diabetes among patients with prediabetes.  It is anticipated that the trial will be continued for a total of an additional 104 weeks.

How does Mounjaro compare to similar weight loss medications, or weight loss surgery?

Keep in mind that currently Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) is approved for weightloss and  diabetes.  But based on the results of SURMOUNT-1, if Mounjaro was approved for weight loss, it would easily become the most effective drug available. Given that it has two different mechanisms of action, it appears to have a greater effect on weight and blood sugar than GLP-1 agonist drugs alone, such as Semaglutide or liraglutide, which are both currently MHRA approved for diabetes and weight control under similar trade names. So when comparing Tirzepatide vs. Semaglutide, liraglutide, or other diabetes medicines, it seems to be much more effective.

Given that over half the patients on the 10mg dose and 63% of those on the 15 mg dose lost more than 20% of their body weight, this number takes many past the weightloss achieved long term with surgical interventions such as the lap-band, and is within the typical ranges achieved long term with procedures such as the sleeve gastrostomy.

Contact us for more information or any question or clarifications.