Why in News?

• In a first, an expert committee of India’s drug regulator (CDSCO, which is under DCGI) gave the green light to the weight loss drug tirzepatide.
• The drug will receive final regulatory approval after this recommendation is reviewed, enabling its maker (US based Eli Lilly) to introduce the product to the Indian market.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• The Development of Various Weight Loss Drugs
• About Semaglutide and Tirzepatide Drugs
• What are Some of the Side Effects/ Limitations of the Zepbound Drug?

The Development of Various Weight Loss Drugs:

• The development of various weight loss drugs has been a game changer for obesity treatment in recent years, especially in the US and Europe.
• The US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has approved Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide) for chronic weight management in adults.
• These drugs can be prescribed to those who are
  • Obese (with a body mass index [BMI] of over 30), or
  • Overweight (with a BMI between 27 and 30), and
  • Have at least one other health condition related to their weight (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes).

About Semaglutide and Tirzepatide Drugs:

• Semaglutide and tirzepatide (both are administered as injections under-the-skin) are polypeptides - small proteins that boost the levels of naturally-occurring hormones in the body.
  • These hormones include glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1), which control weight through the brain and digestive tract.
  • Higher GLP-1 levels (released in the gut) trigger the sensation of satiety - the feeling of being satisfied and having had enough to eat, in the brain.
• These drugs also help manage glucose levels, making them an effective treatment for diabetes.
• While semaglutide only targets GLP-1 receptors, tirzepatide also boosts a second hormone: glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
  • The GIP also regulates weight through receptors in brain and fat cells, and the combined action of GLP-1 and GIP enhance each other’s effects.
• Global trials for Zepbound (in which Indians took part as well) have yielded promising results.
• Based on data from these trials, Zepbound got regulatory clearance in India, with a crucial rider to conduct a phase IV (post-marketing surveillance) trial to scrutinise side effects.

What are Some of the Side Effects/ Limitations of the Zepbound Drug?

• Zepbound is a prescription medicine and cannot be used for cosmetic weight loss.
• According to Eli Lilly, Zepbound’s most common side effects include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, indigestion, injection-site reactions, fatigue, allergic reactions, belching, hair loss, and heartburn.
• Eli Lilly specifically highlights the risk of thyroid tumours, including thyroid cancer.
• Obesity drugs are not one-time miraculous treatments for weight loss and need to be used regularly for their weight loss and other effects to last.
  • This is because obesity is a complex, chronic and progressive disease which has to be managed throughout one’s life.