Mounjaro can now be given to kids as younger as 10, rule European drug chiefs
Blockbuster weight-loss jab Mounjaro can now be prescribed to children as young as ten with type 2 diabetes, following new recommendations from Europe’s drugs watchdog.
Until now, treatment options for children with type 2 diabetes – a condition that causes dangerously high blood sugar levels and raises the risk of heart disease, kidney failure and stroke – have largely been limited to metformin and insulin.
But the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has now recommended extending the use of Mounjaro to younger patients, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise, to help them better control their blood sugar and lose weight.
Tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro in Europe, is already approved for both weight loss and uncontrolled type 2 diabetes in adults.
To qualify for the jab, adults must either be clinically obese or have a body mass index (BMI) of between 27 and 30, as well as at least one weight-related health condition such as sleep apnoea, heart disease or high blood pressure.
The drug – known as a GLP-1 agonist – works by mimicking hormones involved in blood-sugar regulation, reducing appetite, slowing digestion and lowering glucose levels.
In a late-stage clinical trial published in The Lancet, researchers found that Mounjaro helped children aged between ten and 17 with type 2 diabetes not only improve blood-sugar control but also lose significant amounts of weight over a 52-week period.
By 30 weeks, children receiving the 10mg dose saw meaningful reductions in BMI, losing an average of 11.2 per cent.
Type 2 diabetes in children is known to be a more aggressive form of the condition. If it’s left untreated, it can lead to permanent damage in the body
The EU committee has backed extending the use of Mounjaro for children aged 10 and above
While some children did experience side-effects – including diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain – researchers said these were consistent with those seen in adult trials – and very few participants stopped taking the drug as a result.
Dr Tamara Hannon – director of the Clinical Diabetes Programme at Indiana University School of Medicine and lead author of the study – said:
‘Youth living with type 2 diabetes often face a more aggressive disease course – and in many instances, first-line treatments like metformin and insulin fail to control their [blood sugar] adequately.
‘These results offer a promising opportunity to help shift the long-term health trajectory for young people living with this complex condition.’
A number of GLP-1 drugs are already available on the NHS in England – either to aid weight loss or to treat type 2 diabetes – but all are currently recommended for adults only.
Previous studies have shown that adults taking Mounjaro – dubbed the ‘King Kong’ of weight-loss drugs – lost up to 20 per cent of their body weight in just over a year.
Novo Nordisk – the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy – has already had its weight-loss jab approved for use in children aged 12 and over.
But the EMA is now recommending extending the use of Mounjaro to children aged just 10 and above – either as a stand-alone treatment or as an add-on to other diabetes medicines.
Latest NHS data – analysed by the Royal Society for Public Health – suggests the majority of children will be overweight or obese in nine areas of England by 2035.
Obesity rates are soaring in children, where one in ten in reception year at school are now considered obese. Data for 2021/22
Among Year 6 pupils, national obesity fell from 23.4 per cent in 2021/22 to 22.7 per cent. Meanwhile, the proportion of children deemed either overweight or obese also dipped, from 37.8 per cent to 36.6. Both measures are above pre-pandemic levels
More than a third of primary school children are already overweight or obese – with over 22 per cent of children in Year 6 (aged 10 to 11) classed as clinically obese.
This raises their risk of a number of chronic conditions in childhood and later life – including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and some cancers.
Although the proportion has fallen for the third year in a row, it remains higher than levels seen before the Covid pandemic.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin – a hormone that helps control blood sugar – meaning glucose levels rise. Over time, the pancreas may also struggle to produce enough insulin.
Weight-loss jabs such as Mounjaro mimic a naturally occurring gut hormone – known as GLP-1 – which helps the body release insulin when needed, balancing blood sugar, and also reduces appetite and slows digestion.
Persistently high blood sugar levels over time – often worsened by obesity – can lead to heart attacks and strokes, as well as damage to the eyes, kidneys and feet.
Symptoms of the condition – which is diagnosed using a blood test – include excessive thirst, tiredness and needing to urinate more often, although many people experience no obvious signs.
Almost 4.3 million people were living with diabetes in the UK in 2021/22, according to the latest figures.
Around 90 per cent of cases are type 2 diabetes – which is linked to obesity – rather than type 1 diabetes, a genetic condition usually identified early in life.
