A daily oral GLP‑1 medication candidate, orforglipron, produced an average weight loss of roughly 10% after 72 weeks in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to a randomized trial published in The Lancet.
The trial enrolled more than 1,500 adults across 10 countries. Participants took the study pill each day alongside standard lifestyle advice on healthy eating and exercise. Those assigned to the highest 36 mg dose lost about 10% of their body weight after 72 weeks, compared with approximately 2% among people taking a placebo.
Key findings
Effectiveness: The highest-dose group (36 mg) experienced an average weight reduction of about 10% (~23 lb or 10 kg). Earlier research of the same oral compound in people with obesity but without diabetes found roughly 12% weight loss.
Side effects: Adverse events mirrored those seen with injectable GLP‑1 drugs and were mostly gastrointestinal — nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhoea — occurring more often at higher doses.
How it compares: While promising for an oral formulation, these results remain below the roughly 22% average body‑weight loss observed with the weekly injectable Mounjaro in comparable studies.
Context and implications
GLP‑1 agonists — originally developed to treat diabetes — have shown potent appetite‑suppressing and weight‑loss effects and are being investigated for other conditions such as heart disease, sleep apnoea and addiction. Injectables like Ozempic and Mounjaro require refrigeration and regular injections, and in the United States can cost more than $1,000 per month.
If approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, Eli Lilly says orforglipron could be available in 2026 and priced significantly lower than current injectables. Some researchers estimate that generic versions of GLP‑1 drugs could be manufactured for as little as about $4 per month — a price that would greatly expand global access, particularly in lower‑income countries.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2021 were linked to overweight and obesity, a toll higher than deaths from malaria, tuberculosis and HIV combined. An affordable, effective oral GLP‑1 could therefore have major public‑health impact, but longer‑term safety, durability of weight loss and cardiovascular outcomes will need continued study.
"It is exciting to have an oral medication that provides double‑digit weight loss, which on average was 23 pounds (10 kilograms)," said lead study author Deborah Horn of UTHealth Houston.
In summary, orforglipron represents an important step toward a needle‑free GLP‑1 option that may be easier to take and less costly than current injectables; however, its weight‑loss effect appears smaller than the most effective weekly injectables, and further research will determine its long‑term role in obesity and diabetes care.
