Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has launched its innovative tirzepatide injection, Mounjaro, in Libya, offering a new dual-acting treatment to address the country’s escalating public health crisis of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Eli Lilly has launched Mounjaro, the tirzepatide injection, in Libya, adding a new treatment option for people living with type 2 diabetes and obesity. In its announcement, the company said the medicine is the first and only treatment of its kind to activate both GIP and GLP-1 receptors, positioning it as a dual-action therapy for blood sugar control and weight management.
The move comes against a backdrop of significant public health pressure. The company said obesity is a chronic, relapsing condition and a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, alongside complications including high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, cardiovascular disease and obstructive sleep apnoea. The announcement also cited estimates that 15.8% of adults in Libya have type 2 diabetes, while 28.9% of the adult population is living with obesity.
According to Eli Lilly, Mounjaro is approved for adults and for children aged 10 years and older with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes, alongside diet and exercise. It is also used for weight management in adults with obesity, or in adults with overweight who have at least one weight-related condition. The treatment is taken once a week and is available only by prescription.
Company executives said the launch reflects an effort to widen access to innovative medicines through a regulated supply chain. Beata Wcislo, who serves as associate vice-president and general manager of Lilly’s IBU alliance, said the introduction of Mounjaro shows the company’s commitment to patients in Libya through a reliable and approved distribution network. Ewa Haladyj, Lilly’s medical affairs executive for the same alliance, said the drug is intended to be used under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional, together with diet and physical activity.
Lilly also pointed to data from its global clinical development programme. In the SURMOUNT-1 study, which enrolled 2,539 adults with obesity or overweight-related health problems but without diabetes, people taking tirzepatide alongside diet and exercise lost substantially more weight than those given placebo after 72 weeks. At the highest dose, the average reduction was 21.8 kg. In the SURPASS programme, the drug was also evaluated for type 2 diabetes, with Lilly saying the medicine can improve blood sugar control by acting on the body’s glucose-dependent pathways.
The company said it has appointed Al Dawlia as the exclusive authorised distributor in Libya, with supplies to be channelled through licensed pharmacies. Lilly said the arrangement is intended to ensure patients receive the original product and to keep distribution within the formal healthcare system.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
