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The logo of Lilly is seen on a wall of the Lilly France company unit, part of the Eli Lilly and Co drugmaker group, in Fegersheim near Strasbourg, France, February 1, 2018. Picture taken February 1, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Sept 8 (Reuters) – Eli Lilly’s (LLY.N) diabetes drug Mounjaro has gained the backing of Britain’s healthcare cost-effectiveness watchdog, which said it would be a good option for patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said in draft final guidance that it estimates some 180,000 people could benefit from the new treatment.
The drug, also known as tirzepatide, has also been in the spotlight for its potential to treat obesity. A U.S. decision on its use for weight loss is expected later this year. Investors have sent Lilly’s shares surging, betting that an approval will make it a blockbuster drug.
Final guidance from NICE is scheduled to be published on Oct. 11 after which the drug will be made available in the UK’s National Health Service within 90 days.
The recommendation comes after the watchdog in July asked Lilly for more data about the drug’s benefits.
Lilly did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The charity Diabetes UK estimates that more than 5 million people in the UK are living with diabetes.
Reporting by Lavanya Ahire and Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Edwina Gibbs
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