Eli Lilly says oral weight‑loss pill could reach UK next year after trials show 12.4% average loss
Orforglipron, a once‑daily GLP‑1 tablet, showed significant weight reduction in a large trial and is being prepared for regulatory submission; side effects were similar to injectable therapies.
Eli Lilly said a once‑daily oral weight‑loss pill has the potential to reach patients as early as next year if regulators approve the drug, offering a needle‑free alternative to injectable GLP‑1 treatments that have become widely used for obesity.
The experimental medicine, orforglipron, produced an average weight reduction of 12.4% in a large Phase 3 trial, the company said, and could broaden access for people who are unwilling or unable to use weekly injections such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
Lilly executives said the company plans to submit orforglipron for regulatory review by the end of the year and is preparing for a global launch. Patrik Jonsson, chief executive of Eli Lilly, told reporters he expects availability as early as 2026 if regulators clear the medicine. Kenneth Custer, president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health, described obesity as a major global health challenge and said an oral therapy could support earlier intervention and long‑term disease management.
The pivotal study enrolled 3,127 adults who were obese or overweight with weight‑related medical problems and without diabetes, and followed participants for 72 weeks. Orforglipron is designed to act on the same glucagon‑like peptide‑1 (GLP‑1) receptors as current injectable therapies, reducing appetite and increasing feelings of fullness.
Side effects reported in the trial were broadly similar to those seen with injectable GLP‑1 drugs. About one in four participants experienced diarrhoea and roughly one in six reported nausea; the company also reported some cases of pancreatitis. Lilly said the tablet can be stored at room temperature and taken at any time of day, with or without food, which the company said could reduce production and transport complexity compared with injectable formulations.
Financial analysts and company statements have suggested an oral GLP‑1 pill could be a major commercial opportunity; one estimate cited by company officials put a potential market value as high as $100 billion by 2030. Lilly has not yet announced pricing for orforglipron and said pricing decisions remain under consideration.
The development comes amid intense demand for GLP‑1 therapies, which have been prescribed increasingly for weight management and have raised questions over affordability and supply. Lilly has recently adjusted plans to raise the price of its injectable Mounjaro after reaching commercial arrangements with pharmacists and private providers intended to maintain affordability for patients; the company said discounts on top doses will be passed on through those arrangements.
Lilly executives also referenced longer‑term research aims, including a so‑called "once‑and‑done" treatment for obesity, but said such an advance remains years away. Regulators will review the full trial data as part of any approval process, and approval is not assured. Physicians and regulators are likely to weigh the efficacy data alongside safety findings as the company advances its submission and prepares for potential market introduction.