Interested in weight loss injections but would prefer to take a tablet? Well, Eli Lilly, which makes Mounjaro, is currently developing a new weight loss pill called orforglipron.
Because it’s still being investigated in clinical trials, orforglipron is not yet approved in the UK—which means that a clinician can’t prescribe it to you. But from the results we have so far, it seems to work well and be safe for most people to take.
Here’s what you need to know about orforglipron, Eli Lilly’s new weight loss drug.
How does orforglipron work for weight loss?
Like Saxenda and Wegovy weight loss injections, orforglipron is what’s known as a GLP-1 receptor agonist. That means that it acts like the natural hunger hormone GLP-1, which reduces your feelings of hunger.
Though unlike Saxenda and Wegovy GLP-1 medications, which use the active ingredients liraglutide and semaglutide respectively, orforglipron is not a peptide. Because it’s a different type of molecule, that means that it has different properties (like how it’s absorbed by the body, for example).
And it appears to work well. In a phase II trial, people taking the highest dose of orforglipron for 36 weeks lost up to 14.7% of their starting weight on average.
FYI: Ozempic is a GLP-1 medication, too—it’s the same medicine as Wegovy. Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes (though it is sometimes used off-label for weight loss) while Wegovy is approved for weight loss.
Orforglipron side effects: what we know so far
In clinical research, orforglipron side effects were mostly mild or moderate and related to the gut.
The symptoms most commonly reported were:
- Diarrhoea (affecting 19-26% of people)
- Nausea (13-16%)
- Indigestion (10-15%)
- Constipation (8-14%)
- Vomiting (5-14%)
Research has noted that orforglipron may cause fewer gut-related side effects than Mounjaro, a medicine that works by acting like GLP-1 and another hormone called GIP (that makes it a GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist). FYI: this dual action is what makes Mounjaro so potent—in clinical research, it’s shown the most weight loss out of the medicines that are currently available.
Side effects support at Voy
"If you're using Voy and you experience any side effects, rest assured that our expert clinicians are just a message or phone call away. They can adjust your dose, prescribe medication to ease your symptoms, or simply offer reassurance.
Everyone responds differently to weight loss treatment and we'll help you find what feels right for you."
Orforglipron vs other GLP-1 medications
So how does this new GLP-1 tablet stack up against GLP-1 injections?
The research results for orforglipron and Wegovy are comparable.
We mentioned a phase II trial earlier, where people lost up to 14.7% body weight on orforglipron after 36 weeks. People taking Wegovy (semaglutide) for 72 weeks lost 14.9% (at the 36-week mark in this trial, the average loss was just under 14%).
Orforglipron does appear to outperform Saxenda, though. After a year on Saxenda injections (liraglutide), the mean loss was 7.4%. However, after using Mounjaro weight loss injections for over a year, the average loss is 25.3%.
But the fact that orforglipron is a pill may make it the more convenient option—although you do need to take it every day rather than once per week. The injector pens are pretty easy to use and don’t tend to hurt much (if at all), yet some people are put off by having to do a weekly injection.
Orforglipron vs other weight loss pills
What about GLP-1 pills vs currently available weight loss tablets? Well, orlistat is the only one that’s approved in the UK. It works by reducing the amount of fat your gut absorbs from food, so you take in less calories.
Orforglipron appears to be more effective than orlistat weight loss pills. About one in five people on orlistat will lose at least 10% of their starting weight after a year.
When is orforglipron expected to be available?
There’s no set release date, but orforglipron could be available in the UK as soon as early 2026. Phase III clinical trials are still ongoing, but Eli Lilly has said that they plan to submit orforglipron for approval as a weight loss treatment by the end of 2025.
Your weight loss journey
Oforglipron weight loss pills certainly seem promising, but it’ll be a while before you can try them. Yet there are a bunch of weight loss medications you can get started with right now, that are backed by science and show great results.
Through our weight loss programme, you can get Mounjaro, Wegovy, or Saxenda weight loss injections posted to you each month. We’ve also got the oral medication orlistat. And our team of coaches and clinicians will work with you to transform your lifestyle, cheering you on at every step.
We’re so excited for you to reach your health goals—and we know you can do it.
See if you’re eligible for the programme by taking our short quiz. Our clinicians will review and come back to you asap.
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