Eli Lily’s obesity pill appears to work, not just inject GLP-1
Eli Lily’s Everyday Anti-obesity pillolfoglipron appears to be as good as injectable GLP-1 drugs as it reduces weight and lowers blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. ozempicaccording to new data from the Phase 3 trial. The results were presented today at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting. Published New England Journal of Medicine.
Eli Lilly is the manufacturer of the hit GLP-1 drug tilzepatide, and is approved as Munjaro for type 2 diabetes as Zepbound for chronic weight management and obstructive sleep apnea. Like Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, both Eli Lilly’s tilzepatide drugs are injected weekly. However, some patients may be afraid of needles or prefer to take the pill for convenience.
“What we’re seeing is that efficacy, safety and tolerability really match the highly injectable GLP-1,” says Kenneth Custer, president of cariometabolic Health, the company’s experimental drug Elilyri. “I think this is a big deal.” The company is seeking Orforglipron’s regulatory approval by the end of this year for weight management and treatment for type 2 diabetes in 2026.
The 40-week trial tested three doses of 3 milligrams, 12 milligrams, and 36 milligrams of orfoglipron with placebo in 559 patients with type 2 diabetes. All three doses were effective in lowering blood glucose, whereas medium and highest doses showed clinically meaningful and statistically significant weight loss. The highest dose of Orforglipron resulted in an average weight loss of 7.9%, or 16 pounds, which is comparable to the amount of weight loss seen in the semaglutide and tilzepatide trials over the same period. Eli Lilly is studying the pill in a longer study in people who are overweight or obese to see if weight loss continues.
In the current study, participants took the pill once a day without food or water restrictions. Those randomly assigned to Orforglipron started the study at a dose of 1 milligram per day and slowly increased the dose at 4-week intervals. Current GLP-1 drugs are also gradually stepping up at doses to minimize potential side effects.
Orforglipron showed similar gastrointestinal side effects to other GLP-1 drugs. The most common are diarrhea, nausea, indigestion, and constipation. 4-8% of participants in the various dosing groups dropped out due to side effects, while 1% of the placebo group discontinued the study.
The oral version of Semaglutide, sold under the brand name Rybelsus, has been on the market since 2019, but has not been approved for weight management and is not as effective in weight loss as injectable GLP-1S. Pills in particular for obesity can provide patients with more treatment options and make these medications more accessible.
Pills are usually cheaper to manufacture, more easily mass-produced and more prone to shortages. (This is how GLP-1 drugs were injected Until recently there has been a shortage.) Pills can also be transported more easily. Current GLP-1 injector pens must be shipped and stored in the fridge to maintain their effectiveness. The GLP-1 pill does not require sophisticated cold chain distribution and storage. This means it could be sold in a country that doesn’t have that infrastructure.
“It is important to see if these features lead to greater adherence, as Orforglipron offers additional benefits such as elimination of strict pre-dose requirements, potentially low cost, and easy storage.” “As with most chronic therapies, GLP-1 is most effective when used consistently. Therefore, formulations that encourage long-term use can have a meaningful impact on patient outcomes.”