Eli Lilly is planning a clinical trial of its diabetes drug Mounjaro in patients six years and older who have obesity, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing a person familiar with the matter.

The company is already conducting a trial of the drug in children as young as 10 years with type 2 diabetes, according to a U.S. government registry.

Lilly's Danish rival Novo Nordisk has also been conducting a late-stage trial of its drug semaglutide, sold under the brand Ozempic, in children as young as 6 years, according to the registry.

Both drugs have seen a surge in demand this year for treatment of diabetes and obesity. Eli Lilly has generated more than $1.5 billion in sales of Mounjaro in the first half of 2023, in just a year after it got approval in the United States.

Eli Lilly did not immediately reply to Reuters' request for comment. (Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Varun H K)