More evidence needed on Lilly's weight loss drug, UK watchdog says

[June 27, 2023]  (Reuters) - UK's drug cost-effectiveness watchdog on Tuesday did not recommend Eli Lilly's weight loss drug for adults with diabetes, saying more evidence was needed before it could be used by the National Health Service (NHS).

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in its draft guidance said it asked the company for more data on whether the drug Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, resulted in better weight loss than other drugs belonging to the same class of treatments.

"Our committee can see the promise in tirzepatide, but it requires more evidence to be able to evaluate both its clinical and cost effectiveness," Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation, at NICE said.

Obesity is one of the leading causes of severe health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, and costs the NHS 6.5 billion pounds a year.

NICE in March had recommended Novo Nordisk's weight loss medicine, Wegovy, to be used at an specialist NHS weight management service.

Lilly Biotechnology Center is shown in San Diego, California, U.S. March 1, 2023 after Eli Lilly and Co on Wednesday said it will cut list prices by 70% for its most commonly prescribed insulin products, Humalog and Humulin, beginning from the fourth quarter of this year. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

Results from a trial last week showed that Lilly's injected drug Mounjaro helped people with type-2 diabetes, who were also obese or overweight, lose an average of 15% of their body weight, or 33 pounds (14.8 kg).

(Reporting by Radhika Anilkumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Varun H K)

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