The first daily weight-loss pill is expected to be available in the UK as soon as next year after a trial found it to be effective in treating obesity and diabetes.
The drug, developed by Eli Lilly and called orforglipron, targets the same GLP-1 receptors as injectable weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
If the drug gets approved by regulators, it would be a more convenient option that is expected to reach blockbuster status.
Here, The i Paper takes a look at what we know about it so far.
In a nine-month trial on patients with type 2 diabetes, those on the highest dose (36mg) lost 16 lbs (7kg) on average and saw their blood sugar levels drop significantly.
All of the trial’s 559 participants were obese with type 2 diabetes, and were enrolled from the US, China, India, Japan and Mexico.
More than two thirds of people taking the highest dose saw their blood sugar levels drop below the formal threshold for diabetes.
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Eli Lilly’s phase three clinical trials have been targeted at people with type 2 diabetes and for weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related medical problem.
The drug is also being studied as a potential treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension in adults with obesity.
Who should not take it?
GLP-1 medications are not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
People who develop diabetic ketoacidosis are typically told to stop their GLP-1 medication, according to Diabetes UK.
Those with severe problems with their digestion, those about to undergo an operation and those with kidney or severe liver disease may not be able to take it.
Drugs like orforglipron mimic the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is released after eating.
This makes people feel full, reducing their appetite, meaning they eat less and lose weight.
When will the pill become available?
Eli Lilly plans to submit orforglipron for regulatory approval at the end of this year for overweight and obesity, and early 2026 for type 2 diabetes.
The drug could be available as soon as next year.
The drug, previously revealed by The i Paper, is among other weight loss pills are also in late-stage trials and are expected to become available soon.
David Ricks, the CEO of Eli Lilly, said: “As a convenient once-daily pill, orforglipron may provide a new option and, if approved, could be readily manufactured and launched at scale for use by people around the world.”
After 40 weeks on the highest dose, patients lose an average of 7.9 per cent of their body weight.
Researchers said they expected their weight loss to continue if they kept taking the pill.
The level of weight loss was similar to that achieved over the same period with Novo Nordisk injections but slightly lower than Eli Lilly’s injectables in unrelated trials.
Novo Nordisk sells its injectable medicine as Wegovy for obesity and Ozempic for diabetes, which contain semaglutide. Eli Lilly makes Zepbound for obesity and Mounjaro for diabetes, which contain tirzepatide.
Are there any side effects?
The most commonly reported side effects were gastrointestinal-related and mild to moderate in severity, Eli Lilly said.
The main reported side effects were diarrhea (in 26 per cent of those taking the highest dose), dyspepsia (15 per cent), constipation (14 per cent) and vomiting (14 per cent).
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These problems are also common with the injectable drugs.
Eli Lilly said its drugs showed no signs of live injury in the trial. This is welcome news for researchers after Pfizer decided to stop developing its weight loss pill after a trial participant experience a “potential drug induced liver injury”.
How much will the drug cost?
The price of the drug is unlikely to be announced until it wins regulatory approval.
However, the pill is much easier to store than injections, so it could be a cheaper option.
Injectables need to be stored in the fridge, while the pill can be stored at room temperature and taken at any time of the day, with or without food.
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