Update: On 26th of August, 2024, Mounjaro Kwikpen was released in Australia. It has been clinically proven in treating individuals with type 2 diabetes and has additional benefits for weight loss. Mounjaro has been registered since 2022.
Is Mounjaro available in Australia?
Mounjaro had been approved by the TGA in late 2022 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults who cannot use metformin or require additional diabetes medication. It had previously been released in single use vials in October 2023, with the Kwikpen released in August 2024.
The Kwikpen is an autoinjector device allowing the medicine to be administered much more easily than manually preparing a syringe dose. The pen allows for a significant step forward in treatment accessibility for those prescribed by their doctors.
What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro has the active ingredient, tirzepatide. It is a combination medication mimicking GIP and GLP-1 receptor actions. Mounjaro is a weekly injection that controls blood sugar levels when used alongside diet and exercise.
Individuals with type 2 diabetes struggle to regulate blood sugar properly. It happens when the body becomes resistant to insulin, causing blood sugar to rise, leading to health issues. Mounjaro works by increasing insulin and reducing sugar from the liver, helping lower blood sugar levels.
Mounjaro is available in a user-friendly Kwikpen injected in the lower abdomen, thigh or upper arm.
What are Mounjaro side effects?
Mounjaro side effects are similar to other medication for type 2 diabetes. The common side effects encompass nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and headaches. There are more severe adverse effects including low blood sugar and abdominal/stomach problems.
Is Mounjaro effective?
Internationally, Mounjaro has been studied to show advantages in losing weight in addition to treating type 2 diabetes. In a 72-week clinical trial with overweight participants who received weekly injections, they had notable benefits in weight management.
Additionally, clinical trials sponsored by Eli Lilly found obese patients lost as much as 20 percent of their body weight on the highest doses of the drug. In the study trial the participants lost weight on 15mg and 10mg weekly dose.
How does Mounjaro help with losing body weight?
In international studies, Mounjaro has been found to suppress appetite and induce a prolonged feeling of fullness. By reducing food intake and slowing down the stomach’s digestion process, it may contribute to weight management. Mounjaro has been found to be effective when combined with a healthy diet and exercise.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved Mounjaro for its weight management.
What is the cost of Mounjaro in Australia?
The exact cost of Mounjaro Kwikpen in Australia will vary based on the dose pen, but it is likely to align with the pricing of other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines which are not on the PBS.
How to get Mounjaro in Australia?
Mounjaro is a prescription only medicine in Australia. It can be prescribed by any registered doctor to those who fit the prescribing criteria.
Resources
Mounjaro Clinical Study | New England Journal of Medicine (nejm.org)
