Diabetes, weight-loss drugs Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, Wegovy, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, Zepbound pose potential threat to eye, sudden vision loss, warns US FDA

Diabetes and weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound can have detrimental impact on users' eyes, according to United States Food and Drug Administration. The condition is a common cause of sudden, painless vision loss.

The US FDA on Monday said it is requiring GLP-1 drugs such as Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy to add information to the "warnings and precautions" section of labeling about the potential increased risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

The US FDA informed patients and healthcare providers of a potential increased risk of a serious eye condition associated with the use of GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss and diabetes.



Novo's fortunes have reversed ‌sharply since ⁠it became Europe's most valuable listed company following the 2021 launch of injectable Wegovy for weight loss. Its shares have tumbled more than 70 per cent from their peak, as Lilly has overtaken Novo as the obesity-drug market leader, Reuters reported in October.

The company has found some relief with the Wegovy pill. Oral therapies now ​account for about a ​third of US obesity ⁠prescriptions following the pill's rollout, according to company presentations earlier this month, with Novo capturing more than 80 per cent of new oral prescriptions, as per Reuters report.


The Wegovy pill has been launched in the US, Britain, Germany, and the UAE, with ​rollouts in additional markets planned in coming quarters.

GLP-1 users are tightening their belts in more ways than one. The drugs' surging popularity in the US is also boosting ​discount chains, thrift shops and secondhand clothing platforms as many users refrain from splurging on new clothes while their size remains in flux.

Zealand Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim's experimental obesity drug did not increase the risk of ​serious heart problems compared to a placebo ‌in a late-stage trial, the companies said on Monday.

Survodutide, a dual glucagon/GLP-1 ​receptor agonist licensed by Boehringer Ingelheim ​from ⁠Zealand Pharma, is being developed for obesity and related cardiometabolic diseases.

Boehringer, which holds global development and ⁠commercialization rights ​for survodutide, plans to ​submit an application for global regulatory approval to treat obesity.