Yili Lilly’s Daily According to new data from the Phase 3 trial, anti-obesity pills or furgranolone perform equally well in promoting weight loss and lowering blood sugar in patients with diabetes. The results were announced today at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Blockbuster GLP-1 drug Tirzepatide, is approved as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, while Zepbound is used for long-term weight management and obstructive sleep apnea. Like Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, Eli Lilly’s Tirzepatide drug is given weekly. But some patients are afraid of needles or prefer to take pills for convenience.
“What we’re seeing is that potency, safety and tolerance are indeed consistent with the best injection of GLP-1,” said Kenneth Custer, president of Cariometabolic Health of the company’s experimental pill Eli Lilly. “We think that’s important.” The company plans to seek regulatory approval for Orforglipron for weight management by the end of this year and treat type 2 diabetes in 2026.
The 40-week trial tested three doses of Orforglipron (3 mg, 12 mg and 36 mg), a placebo for 559 patients with type 2 diabetes. All three doses effectively lower blood sugar, while the medium and highest doses of weight showed clinical and statistical significance. The highest dose of Orforglipron resulted in an average weight loss of 7.9% or 16 pounds, which coincided with weight loss during the same period in the Semaglutide and Tirzepatide trials. Eli Lilly is conducting a longer study of overweight or obese patients to see if weight loss continues.
In the current trial, participants were given medication once a day without food or water restrictions. Those randomly assigned to Orforglipron started the study at a dose of 1 mg per day and slowly increased the dose at four-week intervals. Current GLP-1 drugs are also gradually strengthening their doses to minimize potential side effects.
Orforglipron shows similar gastrointestinal side effects to other GLP-1 drugs, most commonly diarrhea, nausea, indigestion and constipation. Due to side effects, 4% to 8% of participants in each dosing group exited, while 1% of the placebo group stopped the study.
The oral version of Semaglutide, sold under the brand Rybelsus, has been on the market since 2019, but has not been approved for weight management and is less effective for weight loss than the injectable GLP-1. Pills specifically targeting obesity can provide patients with more treatment options and may make these drugs more accessible.
Pills are usually cheaper than manufacturing and can be produced in large quantities more easily, making them prone to shortages. (Until recently, injected GLP-1 drugs have been lacking.) Pills can also be easier to transport. Current GLP-1 fuel injector pens need to be shipped and stored in the refrigerator to maintain their effectiveness. GLP-1 pills do not require complex cold chain distribution and storage, meaning it can be sold in countries without infrastructure.
“With Orforglipron offering other advantages such as eliminating strict dose pre-requisites, potentially lower costs and easier storage, it is important to see if these features lead to greater compliance,” Priya Jaisinghani said. “Like most chronic therapies, GLP-1 is most effective when used at all times, so formulas that encourage long-term use may have meaningful effects on patient outcomes.”
