A new version of the popular diabetes treatment Mounjaro has been approved as a weight-loss drug.
The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly's drug, Zepbound, after it helped dieters lose as much as 30 to 60 pounds in testing.
Similar to its counterpart Ozempic, Zepbound is a weekly injection for chronic weight management.
Mounjaro set off a frenzy of interest in the US among Type 2 diabetes and obesity patients after it was launched last year.
Many users reported losing significant amounts of weight and achieving better control of their blood-glucose levels after being given the injectable drug, which contains the active ingredient tirzepatide.
With the drug's significant benefits widely recognised, there were forecasts that sales next year could approach $5 billion and that it could ultimately become one of the best-selling drugs of all time.
However, supplies in the US have been affected by shortages and price increases, and many patients have had to stop taking the drug.
Enthusiasm on social media, driven largely by celebrities and influencers, also fuelled the shortages. Even high demand for the over-the-counter drug in the UAE resulted in a shortage. Can it deliver on its promise?
What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is an injectable drug from American drug company Eli Lilly used chiefly to treat diabetes. It was approved for use in the UAE, the US and Europe last year.
Its active ingredient is an engineered protein that activates receptors for GLP-1, a glucagon-like peptide, and GIP, a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, which are hormones that the intestine secretes when a person consumes glucose or other foods.
They essentially cause more insulin to be released and lower blood sugar levels. GLP-1 is also known to suppress appetite.
Other injectable Type 2 diabetes or anti-obesity medications such as Ozempic, focus on GLP-1 but not GIP, and have not led to such significant weight loss in trials.
“I think tirzepatide is really the next step up from the injectable therapeutics around for the last 10 years,” said Richard Holt, professor in diabetes and endocrinology at the University of Southampton in the UK.
“Tirzepatide … appears to have additional benefits, which means that it’s the drug that leads to the greatest reduction.”
In a clinical trial, the results of which were published last year, Mounjaro resulted in an average loss of 22.5 per cent of body weight at the highest dose after 72 weeks of treatment.
Diabetes and obesity are global health issues. According to the World Health Organisation, diabetes affects 422 million people worldwide while more than a billion people worldwide are obese. Diet, lifestyle changes and proper treatment can all help.
Mounjaro's effects, often greater than those of lifestyle changes, have been likened to having a gastric band placed around the stomach to make the person feel fuller, a procedure known as bariatric surgery.
Typically, any side effects are modest, and may include, according to the drug's producer, nausea, vomiting, constipation, indigestion and stomach (abdominal) pain.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a brand name for a drug that contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which is also sold under the names Wegovy and Rybelsus.
As with Mounjaro, these drugs activate GLP-1 receptors but, unlike Mounjaro, they do not focus on GIP receptors.
Ozempic appears to have less of an effect than Mounjaro, with a 2021 study indicating that it resulted in an average of 16.9 per cent reduction in body weight.
This is nonetheless a substantial effect, enough that after the results of the study were released, one doctor described semaglutide as “the most impactful medication for the treatment of obesity”.
Later in 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Wegovy for weight management in obese adults, or overweight adults who also have high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol.
Wegovy is also recommended for children aged 12 years and over who are obese.
In some countries, such as the UK, Ozempic is recommended only for people with Type 2 diabetes.
As with Mounjaro, any side effects with Ozempic are usually mild, including, for example, nausea, vomiting, stomach (abdominal) pain, headaches and dizziness.
What is happening with Mounjaro?
Huge demand for Mounjaro, caused by very cheap introductory prices, some as low as $25 a month, resulted in shortages of the drug in the US.
While the FDA lists all doses of Mounjaro/tirzepatide as being available, the drug is still on the organisation’s shortage list.
Some people have seen the drug’s cost increase to a reported $1,000 a month, making it unaffordable for many whose insurance will not cover the cost.
In the US, its use is approved by the FDA to reduce blood sugar levels only for Type 2 diabetics. It has already been used by many obesity patients and reports indicate that this use of the drug could help to secure FDA approval later this year.
Mounjaro is available from UAE online retailers but it requires a prescription. Shortages have also been reported in the UAE.
“It certainly leads to weight loss, as well as improvements in glucose control. There are potential benefits for people with both conditions [obesity and Type 2 diabetes]. I suspect some people who just have obesity may well benefit,” Prof Holt said.
While Mounjaro is seen as a step forward from previous drugs, Prof Holt said he expected even more effective medications to come on to the market in future.
“What we will find in due course is that there are going to be further dual and even triple agents in development that will take it a step further,” he said.
Foods that help to tackle diabetes - in pictures
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Hurricanes 31-31 Lions
Wellington Hurricanes:
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett
British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)
TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The five pillars of Islam
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
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