Mounjaro and other weight-loss drugs to be made in UAE
A deal has been signed enabling US company Eli Lilly to manufacture weight-loss drugs in the UAE . Under the agreement with Mubadala Bio, four of the US firm's drugs – including the popular Mounjaro, as well as Foundayo, Lilly’s oral medicine – will be made in the UAE. Production is expected to start soon, said Hamad Almarzooqi, Mubadala Bio's deputy chief executive, who was speaking on the…
US pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has entered into an agreement with Mubadala Bio, a company based in the UAE, to manufacture four of the American company's weight-loss drugs in the country. Among these drugs are the popular Mounjaro and Foundayo. Under the arrangement, production is set to commence shortly, according to Hamad Almarzooqi, Mubadala Bio's deputy chief executive, who spoke at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit.
The drugs will be contract-manufactured in the UAE and then distributed across the globe, according to Almarzooqi. This partnership aims to enhance reliable access to innovative medicines while bolstering the UAE's position within the global life-sciences supply chain. In recent years, the UAE has made significant strides in tackling the issue of obesity, which is projected to affect 32% of the nation's population by 2031.
Obesity can lead to severe health complications such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. A joint study by Eli Lilly and market analyst Whiteshield, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, indicates that this figure could be reduced to 18% within the same timeframe, provided that timely intervention is implemented.
The UAE's Ministry of Health has also advised residents to consume weight-loss medications responsibly and only under medical supervision. In June, the country approved the use of Wegovy, a weight-loss pill, for weight reduction purposes. The oral medication had previously been prescribed via an injection pen. The misuse of prescription drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro has escalated in recent times, as individuals seek rapid weight loss through these injectable medications.
Healthcare authorities worldwide have faced challenges in curbing the use of unregulated off-brand injectables for cosmetic purposes, often spurred by social media trends and peer pressure.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
