"Is Everyone Losing Weight but Me?"... Mounjaro Runs Out Amid New Year Diet Craze, 'Stock Shortage Emergency'

Obesity Drug Shortage Triggered by Early-Year Surge in Demand
Supply Instability Centered on Initial Dosages

With the arrival of the new year, demand for weight loss has surged, resulting in supply shortages of "Mounjaro," the obesity treatment drug by the American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, in the domestic market. Amid the early-year weight loss craze, demand has concentrated on the low-dose products primarily prescribed at the start of treatment, making it difficult for pharmacies across the country to secure adequate stock.

The obesity treatment drug "Mounjaro" by the American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly is experiencing supply shortages in the domestic market.

According to BRP Insight, which analyzes pharmaceutical supply trends, Mounjaro Prefilled Pen Injection 2.5mg/0.5mL showed unstable supply status across several weeks in January. In the fourth week of January, more than 1,100 restock requests were submitted by pharmacies nationwide, but only about 150 cases resulted in actual shipments.

This supply index is calculated by combining the restock request and shipment data from the pharmacy management solution "Baropharm" with public pharmaceutical data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Based on nationwide data, the index distinguishes between normal and unstable conditions.

A similar trend was observed for other dosages. The 5mg Mounjaro product recorded continuous supply instability indicators from early to mid-January, only regaining some stability toward the end of the month.

Industry observers believe that the rapid increase in demand for Mounjaro has led to supply pressure. Since its launch in Korea, the product surpassed 100,000 cumulative prescriptions within just a few months, overtaking its competitor, "Wegovy" by Novo Nordisk. In November last year alone, the number of prescriptions exceeded 90,000, which is more than five times higher than at the time of its initial launch.

Korea Lilly stated that, according to the company's standards, there is no complete stockout at present. However, with the new year, the number of patients starting treatment for weight management has increased, leading to concentrated demand for the initial dosage products and resulting in temporary supply imbalances in certain regions. The company added that it is adjusting its global supply chain to respond to domestic demand.

However, as the use of GLP-1 class obesity treatments, including Mounjaro, increases, concerns are also being raised about side effects and long-term management. Experts caution against the so-called "yo-yo effect," or weight regain after discontinuing the medication. Recent studies have found that after stopping GLP-1 class obesity treatments, metabolic indicators such as weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure are likely to return to pre-treatment levels within a relatively short period. Accordingly, the medical community emphasizes that obesity treatments should not be viewed solely as a short-term weight loss tool, but rather as part of a long-term management strategy that includes dietary improvements and exercise.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.