Mounjaro®

Mounjaro is a brand name for a drug known as Tirzepatide. It is used to treat type 2 diabetes and for weight management. Mounjaro works by lowering blood sugar levels and improving insulin production in the body. This drug also has beneficial effects on weight loss, making it a popular choice for obese or overweight individuals.

Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, is an incretin mimetic. It mimics the action of incretin hormones that increase insulin release after meals. This helps regulate blood sugar levels. Tirzepatide also helps reduce appetite, which contributes to weight loss.

Mounjaro works to lose weight by reducing appetite. It does this by affecting two hormones:

• GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide): This hormone is released after eating and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Mounjaro stimulates the production of GIP, which leads to an increased feeling of satiety.
• GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1): This hormone is also released after eating and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Mounjaro is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, meaning it mimics the action of GLP-1. This leads to an increased feeling of satiety and a decreased appetite.

Mounjaro has proven effective in helping overweight or obese people lose weight. In clinical studies, people taking Mounjaro lost an average of 12.4% of their body weight. This is more than the effect of other medications used for weight loss, such as Saxenda (liraglutide).

Mounjaro is an effective way to lose weight for overweight or obese people. It is important to discuss side effects with your healthcare provider before taking Mounjaro.

Mounjaro is not yet available in the Netherlands. In our treatment Medical Weight Loss with Injections, the drug Saxenda is prescribed by our doctors in combination with a nutrition and exercise plan. Treatment with Saxenda is available at clinics in Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Eindhoven, Den Bosch, Duiven and Groningen.

Mounjaro is not yet on the market in the Netherlands. Therefore, the award is not yet available.

Mounjaro is suitable for adults with type 2 diabetes and is used in patients for weight management if obese or overweight, especially when this causes health problems. If you are overweight, Mounjaro can be prescribed to adult patients with an initial BMI (Body Mass Index) of:

• ≥ 30 BMI (obese), or
• ≥ 27 BMI to < 30 BMI (overweight) who have at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as dysglycemia (prediabetes or diabetes mellitus type 2), hypertension, dyslipidemia or obstructive sleep apnea.

Mounjaro is not yet available on the Dutch market. If Mounjaro becomes available, it will be available only by prescription from a physician and will be prescribed only if the client meets the indications.

Mounjaro works through two different mechanisms: it stimulates insulin production in response to high blood sugar levels and it reduces appetite. This not only helps regulate blood sugar, but also contributes to weight loss.

• The active substance in this medicine is Tirzepatide.
• The other ingredients are sodium chloride, sodium phosphate dibasic heptahydrate and water for injections.

Mounjaro is approved by the FDA and the Department of Health. The Netherlands Healthcare Institute has assessed that Mounjaro should be included in the Drug Reimbursement System for severely overweight patients.

Mounjaro contains the substance Tirzepatide and comes from the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. Mounjaro is registered for the treatment of Type II diabetes and obesity. Saxenda contains the substance Liraglutide and comes from the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Saxenda is only registered for the treatment of obesity.

Availability
Difference in availability between Mounjaro and Saxenda

• Mounjaro is not yet available on the Dutch market
• Saxenda is available on the Dutch market and is part of the treatment Medical weight loss with injections

Use
Difference in use between Mounjaro and Saxenda

• Mounjaro should be injected once weekly
• Saxenda should be injected once a day

Dosage
Difference in dosage between Mounjaro and Saxenda

• The dosage of Mounjaro is 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg or 15mg (weekly).
• The dosage of Saxenda is 0.6mg, 1.2mg, 1.8mg, 2.4mg or 3mg (daily).

Mounjaro contains the substance Tirzepatide and comes from the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. Mounjaro is registered for the treatment of diabetes type II and obesity. Ozempic contains the substance Semaglutide and comes from the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Ozempic is only registered for the treatment of diabetes type II, not for the treatment of obesity.

Use
There is no difference in frequency of use between Mounjaro and Ozempic.

• Mounjaro should be injected once weekly
• Ozempic must be injected once weekly

Mounjaro contains the substance Tirzepatide and comes from the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. Mounjaro is registered for the treatment of diabetes type II and obesity. Wegovy contains the substance Semaglutide and comes from the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Wegovy is only registered for the treatment of obesity.

Use
There is no difference in frequency of use between Mounjaro and Wegovy.

• Mounjaro should be injected once weekly
• Wegovy must be injected once weekly

The drug Mounjaro can be reimbursed from the basic package for the treatment of a small group of severely overweight people. Reimbursement applies only to people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or higher who are already participating in the combined lifestyle intervention (GLI). For people with a BMI between 35 and 40, it is further required that they have 1 of 3 additional diseases.

Mounjaro is a safe drug, but side effects may occur. The most common side effects are:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• diarrhoea,
• stomachache
• and headache.

These side effects usually disappear within a few weeks.

• Mounjaro® is administered as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Do not inject it into a vein or muscle.
• The best places to inject are
  •  at the front of your thighs,
  • the front of your waist (abdomen)
  • or your upper arm.
• Before you use the pen for the first time, your doctor or nurse will show you how to use the pen.

Here are some tips for using Mounjaro for weight loss:

• Start with a low dose and gradually increase it until you achieve the desired effect.
• Take Mounjaro at the same time every day.
• Take Mounjaro with a protein-rich meal or snack.
• Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.
• Talk to your healthcare provider about any side effects you experience.