A daily pill developed by Eli Lilly has been found to help people lose as much as a fifth of their body weight, according to a major clinical trial.
The drug, orforglipron, works on the same GLP-1 receptors as injections like Wegovy and Mounjaro. In a study of more than 3,100 adults with obesity but without diabetes, one in five participants taking the pill for 72 weeks lost at least 20% of their body weight.
Results varied by dosage: patients on the lowest dose lost an average of 7.5% of body weight, while those on the highest dose lost 11.2%. Among the highest-dose group, more than half lost 10% or more, and nearly 20% achieved 20% or greater reductions. Participants also showed improvements in blood pressure, waist size, and cholesterol levels.
Side effects were mostly mild to moderate gastrointestinal issues, consistent with other GLP-1 drugs.
Experts say pill versions could be a game-changer compared to injections, being easier to use, store, and distribute, and potentially more affordable. Eli Lilly expects strong demand once regulators approve the medication.
The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, suggest orforglipron could significantly expand access to effective obesity treatment.
