Eli Lilly finds bacteria, other impurities in Mounjaro, Zepbound knockoffs
Written By : Ruchika Sharma
Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli
Published On 2024-03-08 12:18 GMT | Update On 2024-03-20 10:27 GMT
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Eli Lilly said on Thursday it has found bacteria and high levels of impurities in products claiming to be compounded versions of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in its popular diabetes drug Mounjaro and weight loss treatment Zepbound.
The U.S. drugmaker has sued several medical spas, weight-loss clinics and compounding pharmacies to stop them from selling products purporting to contain tirzepatide.Compounded drugs are custom-made medicines based on the same ingredients as branded versions, and often cheaper, but also subject to less regulatory scrutiny.
In an open letter, Lilly said some of these products had a different chemical structure as well as a different color than the approved versions of Mounjaro or Zepbound.
"In at least one instance, the product was nothing more than sugar alcohol," Lilly said.
The company said it does not sell or provide tirzepatide to any compounding pharmacies.
"Lilly rightly notes that compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. But that fact does not mean compounded drugs are unsafe – any more than it means that FDA-approved drugs are always safe," said Scott Brunner, CEO of the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, which represents compounding pharmacists and technicians.
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