Zepbound shortage over: An end to Compounded Tirzepatide
On Thursday, 12/19/2024, the FDA declared that tirzepatide (Zepbound / Mounjaro) is no longer in shortage. This will have significant impact for patients currently being treated with compounded tirzepatide. Read on to learn more about this decision, and about your treatment options.
Compounded Tirzepatide: a brief history
Tirzepatide was approved for type 2 diabetes in 2022 as Mounjaro. In 2023, it was approved for weight loss as Zepbound. Because of it’s immense popularity for weight loss, it wasn’t long before the drug was declared in shortage. When a medication is in shortage, compounding pharmacies are allowed to produce it to enhance supply – enter compounded tirzepatide.
What does compounded tirzepatide do?
Tirzepatide is extremely effective for weight management, because it mimics two hormones, tricking the body into thinking it is in a “fed” or “sated” state. While on tirzepatide, people are less hungry, don’t think about food between meals, and feel fuller quicker. In clinical trials, tirzepatide led to an average weight loss of 20%, or around 50 pounds.
What led to compounded tirzepatide?
During the shortage, many people were not able to fill prescriptions for Zepbound and resorted to using compounded tirzepatide instead. In addition, compounded versions of the medication tended to be less expensive than brand name versions, which drove the popularity of compounded tirzepatide.
Tirzepatide shortage over – what next?
With the FDA’s decision, compounding pharmacies will have 60-90 days, after which time they will no longer be able to produce compounded tirzepatide.
If you are being treated with compounded tirzepatide, that means that you have 60-90 days (until ~March, 2025) to figure out your treatment strategy. Your options will include:
- Transition to brand-name tirzepatide (Zepbound or Mounjaro).
- Transition to a different GLP-1 medication (including semaglutide or liraglutide)
- Transition to oral medicaion(s) including metformin and phentermine – I will write a future blog article about this option, as there was a recent study published looking at options.
- Re-focus on behavioral weight loss strategies working with your CNC Registered Dietitian to work to maintain the behaviors which led to the weight loss.
Every individual is unique. Each person has different potential benefits from tirzepatide, and cost is a major issue in this decision. By working with a skilled provider, you can make the best decision for your health.
