Eli Lilly says once‑a‑day oral GLP‑1 pill could reach UK next year after late‑stage trial shows 12% weight loss

Eli Lilly says a once‑a‑day oral weight‑loss pill could be available in Britain as early as next year if regulators approve the drug, which produced an average 12.4% body‑weight reduction in a late‑stage clinical trial.

The drug, called orforglipron, works on the same glucagon‑like peptide‑1 (GLP‑1) receptors targeted by widely used injectable medicines such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. Eli Lilly officials said the tablet can be stored at room temperature, taken at any time of day with or without food, and could appeal to people who are uncomfortable with self‑injecting.

Lilly disclosed results from a trial that enrolled 3,127 adults who were obese or overweight with a weight‑related medical condition but did not have diabetes. Participants were followed for 72 weeks; the company reported an average weight loss of 12.4% compared with baseline. Side effects mirrored those observed with injectable GLP‑1 therapies: about one in four participants experienced diarrhoea and about one in six reported nausea. Lilly also noted some reports of pancreatitis in trial participants.

Patrik Jonsson, head of Lilly, said the oral formulation could be a “game‑changer” for people who currently use weekly injections and indicated the company hopes the medicine could be available next year if it wins regulatory approval. Kenneth Custer, executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health, said the company plans to submit orforglipron for regulatory review by year‑end and said the firm is prepared for a global launch to address what he called an urgent public‑health need.

Lilly has not finalized pricing for the pill. Company officials told reporters the tablet will be easier to produce and transport than injectable products and is expected to be less costly, though precise price points remain under consideration.

The development comes as demand for GLP‑1–based treatments has surged worldwide, prompting debate among clinicians, payers and policymakers about access, long‑term safety and health‑system costs. Injectable GLP‑1 drugs have been shown to reduce appetite and body weight but require subcutaneous administration and cold‑chain storage. Lilly said orforglipron’s room‑temperature stability and oral dosing could broaden uptake and support earlier intervention for people with overweight or obesity.

The company’s comments follow other commercial moves this year. Lilly scaled back planned price increases for Mounjaro after striking arrangements with pharmacists and private providers intended to limit costs passed to patients. Under those arrangements, the top dose of Mounjaro will rise to £247.50—about £100 less than the new list price—while discounts on lower strengths were also announced. Lilly said it is working with private providers on commercial arrangements to maintain affordability and expected those arrangements to be passed on to patients when the change took effect on Sept. 1.

Regulators will review safety and efficacy data before any approval and national health systems will decide on coverage and reimbursement. Researchers and clinicians advising health services have emphasised the importance of long‑term monitoring for adverse events and of integrating medicines with broader measures such as diet, physical activity and treatment for weight‑related conditions.

Eli Lilly has also signalled longer‑term ambitions in obesity care. Jonsson said the company is pursuing a “once‑and‑done” approach to treatment — a prospect he described as a long‑term goal that remains years away. For now, orforglipron represents the latest effort to expand pharmacological options for weight management and to provide a non‑injectable alternative to the currently available GLP‑1 injectables.