After facing shortages in recent months, all doses of Eli Lilly’s popular weight loss injection Zepbound and diabetes drug Mounjaro are now fully available in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently updated its drug shortage database to reflect the increased availability of these medications, providing relief to patients who have been struggling to access them.
The shortage of some doses of Mounjaro dates back to 2022, while Zepbound faced supply challenges following its approval in November of last year. The high demand for weight loss and diabetes medications has outpaced the available supply, leading both Eli Lilly and rival Novo Nordisk to make significant investments in ramping up their manufacturing capabilities to meet the needs of patients.
Eli Lilly’s CEO, David Ricks, expressed optimism about the end of the shortages of Mounjaro and Zepbound in an interview with Bloomberg. He stated that the company planned to exit the shortage situation “very soon,” indicating that patients could expect improved access to these crucial medications in the near future. However, a spokesperson for Eli Lilly did not provide an immediate comment regarding the FDA’s update on Friday.
In addition to Eli Lilly’s products, all doses of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes injection Ozempic are also now available in the U.S. According to the FDA’s database, there are still limited supplies of Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy, highlighting the ongoing challenges in meeting the demand for these types of medications.
The increased availability of Eli Lilly’s weight loss injection and diabetes drug in the U.S. is a positive development for patients who depend on these medications for their health and well-being. The efforts of pharmaceutical companies to address manufacturing challenges and shortages are essential in ensuring that patients have access to the treatments they need. While there are still ongoing supply issues with some medications, the progress made in resolving shortages is a step in the right direction towards improving healthcare outcomes for individuals with weight loss and diabetes concerns.