A needle-free alternative is on the way. Eli Lilly’s daily obesity pill, orforglipron, met key goals in a major late-stage trial—paving the way for a potential blockbuster in the booming weight loss and diabetes drug market.
The pill helped Type 2 diabetes patients lose an average of 7.9% of body weight (~16 pounds) over 40 weeks, without plateauing by the study’s end, suggesting continued weight loss beyond the trial period.
Blood sugar (A1c) dropped by 1.3% to 1.6% across doses, slightly below Wall Street’s 1.8%-2.1% expectations but still a meaningful improvement compared to placebo (0.1%).
Side effects were mild to moderate and primarily gastrointestinal—nausea (16%), vomiting (14%), and diarrhea (26%)—with an 8% discontinuation rate, in line with analyst forecasts.
Orforglipron is not a peptide, unlike Novo Nordisk’s Rybelsus, making it easier to absorb without dietary restrictions—potentially expanding its appeal.
Lilly plans to file for FDA approval for obesity later this year and for diabetes in 2026, with seven ongoing Phase 3 trials (five diabetes, two obesity).
CEO David Ricks said the pill can be “readily manufactured and launched at scale,” potentially alleviating injection supply issues and expanding access globally.
Analysts say Lilly is ~3 years ahead of rivals like AstraZeneca, Roche, and Viking Therapeutics in the oral GLP-1 race. Oral GLP-1 drugs could reach $50B of the projected $150B+ market by 2030.
If approved, orforglipron could cement Eli Lilly’s dominance in the GLP-1 class, joining a lucrative club of therapies like Ozempic and Wegovy—but with one big advantage: no needles.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
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