Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide) has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a treatment for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes in adults, alongside diet and exercise.
According to NICE’s draft guidance, around 180,000 people living with difficult-to-manage type 2 diabetes could benefit from the new treatment option.
The recommendation follows additional analyses and modelling on clinical and cost-effectiveness provided by Lilly, following a request by NICE.
Evidence from clinical trials showed that Mounjaro resulted in significant reductions in blood sugar levels and body weight in comparison to Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide injection, insulin therapy or a placebo.
The new treatment option resulted in 81% to 97% of people reaching better glucose control, and 54% to 88% reaching a 5% or greater reduction in body weight, which was significantly more than the comparators.
Mounjaro is a once-weekly glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist for adults with type 2 diabetes when metformin, the main first-line medicine for type 2 diabetes, cannot be tolerated.
Over five million people in the UK live with diabetes, 90% of whom are estimated to have type 2, according to Diabetes UK.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said: “Our committee recognised the potential [Mounjaro] has to provide an effective and good value treatment option for all those living with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.
“This recommendation will offer fresh hope for many and provide value for money for the taxpayer.”
Douglas Twenefour, head of care at Diabetes UK, said: “We welcome NICE’s decision to approve Mounjaro to be prescribed on the NHS as this will provide another effective treatment option for managing type 2 diabetes.”
NICE is also reviewing the use of Mounjaro as a treatment for people living with obesity, with a decision from the regulator expected in 2024.
In May 2022, Mounjaro received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes, alongside diet and exercise, making it the first and only US-approved GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist.