Mounjaro "5th" dose to vanish with new pen design
- AJ Hill Aesthetics
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
We've all heard of the 'golden dose' or the '5th dose', extra fluid leftover in the pen when someone has used the 4 weeks worth of doses in the Mounjaro KwikPen.
But now it looks like that extra fluid in the pen is about the vanish thanks to a re-design of the KwikPen's mechanism...
Eli Lilly have sent out official communication to pharmacies in the UK to state that the design of their infamous KwikPens is about to change.
Find the communication below:
"Eli Lilly & Company will be introducing a visual and structural update in the Mounjaro Kwikpen. The KwikPen device has been modified to reduce leftover medicine and make it easier to track that the final dose has been administered, indicating that the pen is ready to be discarded. The modified KwikPen works the same way as the initial device.
The initial and modified Mounjaro KwikPens are both disposable multi-dose single-patient-use pre-filled pens, containing the volume of solution necessary for priming before each injection and the delivery of 4 fixed 0.6mL doses (one dose administered weekly).
We anticipate that the modified KwikPen will become available in the UK from April 2026. Once existing stock of the initial KwikPen is depleted, supply will transition to the modified KwikPen. Healthcare providers and patients can expect both versions to be available in the market for a period of time for all dose strengths during this transition.
The GTIN and PIP codes remain unchanged. Please continue to order as normal.
The modified KwikPen works the same way as the initial device, but there are a few visual and structural updates:
1. Plunger Position: The plunger sits farther down in the cartridge when the pen is unused.
2. Extended Plunger: A new internal component has been added behind the plunger, extending its length. This is shown in the Mounjaro KwikPen Guide to Parts section of the product’s Instructions For Use (IFU).
3. Remaining Medicine: After the fourth dose, the plunger will be near the end of the pen, clearly indicating the pen is ready to be discarded.
Please ensure that patients are advised about the KwikPen changes."
This is in response to the well-known practice of extracting the leftover priming fluid in the pen. Understandably, with costs as high as they are, people have been trying to maximise the usage of their Mounjaro pens.
Unfortunately, this has led the industry to accuse people of adopting unsafe practices and breaching the pen's intended usage to get that extra 'dose' out of the pen. This is a popular trend on social media, usually involving manual aspiration of the leftover priming fluid with a needle and syringe.
If you have any questions or would like further information on the above, please let us know via email. We will continue to provide the current pens until they run out across the UK.
