Investing.com — Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE:) plans to begin selling its popular weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, in Hong Kong by the end of this year, potentially becoming the first drug of its kind available in the broader China region, reported Bloomberg News Sunday.
The report said the company has received approval from the Hong Kong government to market tirzepatide injections, under the brand name Mounjaro, using a device called the Kwikpen.
The drug is approved for long-term weight management and for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the report said.
Although Mounjaro is already approved in mainland China for both diabetes and weight loss, the exact launch date there remains uncertain. Competitor Novo Nordisk (NYSE:) A/S, on the other hand, currently offers its diabetes medication in both Hong Kong and mainland China, although the weight-loss version has yet to be introduced.
Bloomberg News previously reported on Lilly’s plans to bring Mounjaro to Hong Kong.
Highly effective weight-loss drugs such as Mounjaro (also marketed as Zepbound) and Novo’s Wegovy have seen rising demand worldwide, resulting in a shortage as supply struggles to keep pace.
The launch in Hong Kong is likely to boost demand and potentially attract customers from mainland China, where counterfeit versions of the shots are widespread, the report said.
In response to global supply constraints, Novo has stated that it will limit initial sales of Wegovy in China, where the drug was approved in June, to maintain stable supply for other markets.
Novo’s Ozempic, approved in China in 2021 for type 2 diabetes, has been purchased through online and gray market channels by many Chinese consumers looking to lose weight, given the similar active ingredient in a lower dose.
Clinical studies have shown that Mounjaro can reduce body weight by up to 25% when combined with diet and exercise.
Side effects, experienced by at least 5% of patients, include nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting, constipation, indigestion and stomach pain, the report said.
