Mounjaro makers to explore solutions to allow weight-loss jab to be publicly funded

Mounjaro has been available to buy privately since earlier this year, with some Irish patients also buying it at a lower cost in Northern Ireland. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

The makers of weight-loss drug Mounjaro have said that they will work with health authorities to “find solutions” after the HSE was advised the jabs are too expensive to approve for public funding.

An assessment found the multi-billion euro cost of giving Mounjaro to everyone eligible is not value for money despite being a very effective treatment for obesity, said the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE).

Its clinical director, professor Michael Barry, said the assessment showed costs are “not too far away” from being value for money but there was gap to be bridged.

The key ingredient for these injections, known as the King Kong of weight-loss drugs, is made at the Eli Lilly plant near Kinsale in Cork.

Prof Barry advised while it is a very effective treatment for obesity, an estimate of over €5.2bn in costs over five years is too high.

He said he has never seen such a high cost for a drug, which amounts to between €5,000 and €6,000 per patient per year.

He said the drug comes close to being cost-effective because of how effective it is in helping people.

“One trial showed patients can expect to lose, on average, about 20kg over the 72- week period, and that is maintained,” he said.

“In addition to that, it has other valuable properties. It reduces blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic pressure.

“It improves the cholesterol profile... and it improves blood glucose.”

Overall it also improves patients’ quality of life, he added.

Eli Lilly in Kinsale, Co Cork, where the key active ingredient in weight-loss drug Mounjaro is made. Picture: Niall Carson/PA 

He said a policy decision is now needed on who to fund the drug for. He estimated giving it to people with a BMI of over 30 could mean up to 900,000 eligible people.

This could be reduced by only considering people with a BMI of over 40, but he estimated: “You’re still talking about something like 80,000 patients.”

He pointed out cost reduction agreements have been reached in the past with pharmaceutical companies.

On Thursday, Eli Lilly highlighted the benefit of the treatment, referring to the key ingredient of tirzepatide.

“We strongly believe in the cost-effectiveness and benefit of tirzepatide for individuals, health systems, and society to reduce the burden of type 2 diabetes and obesity,” a spokeswoman said.

“As the reimbursement process progresses, Lilly will work with the HSE to explore solutions that enable patient access in Ireland.”

The HSE has previously negotiated on the costs of other drugs — including a protracted and high-profile process with Vertex — the makers of cystic fibrosis therapies.

So far only one weight-loss drug, Saxenda, is funded by the HSE.

Mounjaro has been available to buy privately since earlier this year, with some Irish patients also buying it at a lower cost in Northern Ireland.

Eli Lilly applied for its assessment for reimbursement for weight-loss and separately for diabetes. The latter continues.

Ozempic remains under assessment for use in diabetes treatment only.

Another treatment called Wegovy, which has the same ingredient, semaglutide, continues under NCPE assessment for weight-loss.