Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro And Zepbound Supply Situation Worsens Due To Multi-Month Shortages

(CTN News) – There appears to be no end in sight for the ongoing shortage of Eli Lilly’s popular diabetes drug Mounjaro anytime soon, as the FDA has once again extended its forecast for the drug’s release.

Additionally, most of the doses of the drug’s obesity counterpart, Zepbound, have now been added to the list of drugs that are deemed to be in short supply by the FDA.

It is believed that Mounjaro will remain available until the end of this month on a limited basis, in line with an estimate made by the FDA earlier this month.

It is expected that all but one dosage strength of Mounjaro will experience a supply squeeze throughout the second quarter as a result of this new update.

In addition, Lilly’s other tirzepatide product, Zepbound, has also been reported to be facing similar supply issues, although most doses of this medication were not listed in the FDA’s shortage database until this week.

This is due to the fact that the FDA has now listed the medication in limited supply for all but one dosage strength, much like Mounjaro.

According to FDA officials, there is a shortage because there has been an increase in demand for these drugs, which has led to the shortage.

The company has long been planning to build a manufacturing plant in North Carolina that will help meet the demand surge, but the plant isn’t expected to fully operational until the end of the year, despite the fact that it has been working on it for years.

As a result, patients will have to wait even longer for products made at the facility to reach pharmacy shelves. In an interview with NBC News, Lilly’s global operations leader, Edgardo Hernandez, said that patients will be able to purchase products made at the facility “sometime next year.”

In response to Fierce Pharma, Lilly Mounjaro did not immediately reply to our request for comment. However, a spokesperson for the company acknowledged last month that the “unprecedented demand for these products” may cause some patients to have difficulty filling their prescriptions.

In addition to the North Carolina Mounjaro plant, the company is also building a large injection plant in Germany. This plant is expected to be operational by 2027, along with the North Carolina plant.

During the supply shortages, it has been reported that compounded versions of the meds are appearing around the country, as well as counterfeit versions.

Earlier this year, Lilly issued a warning to patients warning them that such knockoff products might pose a safety risk should they be used by them.

SEE ALSO:

Hemorrhoid Cream Poisoned With Lead Kills California Woman

Vampire-Like Bacteria Can Suck Blood From Humans