What is Zepbound used for? Does Zepbound have any side effects?

Zepbound is the brand name for tirzepatidine and will be available by the end of the year to treat obesity, an injection drug similar to Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved another drug to treat chronic obesity in adults.

The new weight-loss drug Zepbound, from pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, is another version of Mounjaro, which has already been approved by the FDA to treat Type 2 diabetes, but many are using it off-label for weight loss, the agency announced Wednesday.

These two medications are brand names of tirzepatidine, which has proven to be highly effective in weight loss by reducing appetite and improving the way the body breaks down sugars and fats.

The FDA says Zepbound, taken by injection into the thigh, stomach, or arm, will be sold as a prescription weight-loss medication for use “in conjunction with a low-calorie diet and increased physical activity.”

FDA Center for Diabetes, Lipid Disorders and Obesity Director Dr. “Obesity and overweight are serious conditions that can be associated with some of the leading causes of death, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes” said John Sharrets. for Drug Evaluation and Research – said in a statement. “Given that rates of both obesity and overweight are increasing in the United States, today’s approval addresses an unmet medical need.”

The FDA states that Zepbound will be approved for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, a widely criticized standard that qualifies them as obese. The drug will also be approved for people with a BMI of 27 and at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol.

Eli Lilly said Zepbound is expected to be available in the United States by the end of the year for $1,059 without insurance.

Zepbound and Mounjaro are similar to Ozempic and Wegovy (brand names for semaglutide), which work in the brain to influence satiety and are rapidly growing in popularity in Hollywood and beyond for weight loss.