Mounjaro, Eli Lilly's popular drug for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, has received an important new approval from the FDA in the US: use to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and high risk for heart disease.
The decision makes Mounjaro more than just a diabetes or weight-management drug. According to Lilly, the approval was based on a large study of more than 13,000 patients in 30 countries, where Mounjaro was compared to Trulicity, another diabetes drug. The results showed that Mounjaro had an 8% lower rate of cardiovascular death, heart attack or stroke.
However, the news does not mean that Mounjaro is a "miracle drug" for everyone. The approval applies to patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, while use should only be done with a prescription and under medical supervision.
For Eli Lilly, this is another big step in the global battle for new metabolic drugs. For patients, it is a signal that the new generation of diabetes drugs is moving beyond blood sugar and weight, increasingly entering the territory of heart protection.
