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Orforglipron: How This Oral GLP-1 Could Change Weight Loss in the UK
Orforglipron: How This Oral GLP-1 Could Change Weight Loss in the UK
Dr. Zoë Lees (PhD)
Dr. Sophie Dix (BSc, PhD)
30 December 2025 | Updated: 21 August 2026
21 August 2026
As new weight loss treatments are developed, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of options emerging and how each one works. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at orforglipron (Foundayo®), a new weight loss pill. Learn how it works, and its potential role in weight management.
Article summary:
- The Foundayo pill is a new, once-daily oral GLP-1 medication, which contains the active ingredient orforglipron. It's manufactured by Eli Lilly, and it’s authorised for weight management and type 2 diabetes.
- Orforglipron reduces appetite, improves blood sugar control and slows gastric emptying. Clinical trials show participants lost an average of 12.4% of their body weight over 72 weeks, with additional benefits for heart health. In trials, side effects have been found to be similar to other GLP-1s.
- Following regulatory approval, orforglipron is now available on prescription in the UK.
What is Orforglipron?
Foundayo is a weight loss medication that contains the active ingredient orforglipron. It's a nonpeptide glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, meaning it belongs to the same class of medications as other popular weight loss treatments like Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide). [1] It’s manufactured by Eli Lilly (the same company that manufactures Mounjaro).
But there's one key difference that sets orforglipron apart from injectable treatments. It's taken as a once-daily oral pill rather than as a weekly injection, making it a great option for those who prefer oral medication.
This difference is also reflected on a molecular level. Unlike medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro, orforglipron isn't made from peptides (protein-like building blocks). Instead, it's a smaller type of molecule.
This makes a big difference, as peptide medications get broken down in the stomach so they have to be given by injection. Orforglipron, on the other hand, can survive digestion. This means it can be taken as a pill. [2]
How does orforglipron work?
Orforglipron works in the same way as other GLP-1 receptor agonists, by mimicking naturally occurring gut hormones after eating.
Here’s how it works in different parts of your body to promote weight loss:
- Regulates appetite by targeting the reward centre in your brain to increase feelings of fullness, reduce appetite and curb food cravings. [3]
- Helps keep blood sugar levels steady by helping your body release the hormone that lowers blood sugar (insulin) and lowering the hormone that raises it (glucagon). This can prevent spikes and drops that often cause cravings. [3]
- Slows down how fast your stomach empties (gastric emptying), so you feel full for longer. [3]
Clinical trials and efficacy
Impact on weight management
In a phase 3 clinical trial, people taking the highest dose of orforglipron lost an average of 12.4% of their body weight over 72 weeks, demonstrating its effectiveness as a tool for weight management. [3]
Impact on blood sugar
Orforglipron has been shown to help lower blood sugar levels. This supports better management of type 2 diabetes. [4]
Impact on heart health
Research also suggests it can improve factors like blood pressure and cholesterol, which are important for reducing the risk of heart disease. [3]
Like other GLP-1 medication currently available, orforglipron treatment should be paired with positive lifestyle changes. This includes eating a balanced and varied diet, and increasing your daily movement where possible.
Side effects and safety
In clinical trials, the most common side effects were mild to moderate digestive events like diarrhoea, nausea, constipation and abdominal pain, meaning the side effect profile is similar to other GLP-1 medications like Mounjaro. [1]
Dosage and administration
Orforglipron is taken as a once-daily oral pill and can be taken with or without food, making it a convenient option for those with busy lifestyles and unpredictable schedules.
The typical starting dose for orforglipron is 0.8mg. Over time, this dose may gradually increase to 2.5mg, 5.5mg, 9mg and 14.5mg, with the highest dose being 17.2mg.
Availability and cost of orforglipron
Following regulatory approval, orforglipron is now available in the UK. However, it's only available on prescription and is subject to eligibility. Your suitability for treatment will need to be assessed by a licensed clinician, who will take into account your current health as well as your medical history.
The cost of orforglipron may vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. However, as your dose strength increases over time, so does the monthly cost of treatment.
At MedExpress, we offer online consultations with regular clinical check-ins, and a range of weight loss treatments including Mounjaro® Pen, Wegovy® Pen, Wegovy® Pill and Foundayo. Our team can help you find the right treatment for you.
References:
- What is Orforglipron? [Internet]. Drugs.com. Available from: https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/what-orforglipron-3574271/
- Rosenstock J, Hsia S, Nevarez Ruiz L, Eyde S, Cox D, Wu WS, et al. Orforglipron, an Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1 Receptor Agonist, in Early Type 2 Diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine. 2025 Jun 21 [cited 2026 Aug 20]; Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40544435/
- Wharton S, Aronne LJ, Stefanski A, Alfaris NF, Ciudin A, Yokote K, Halpern B, Shukla AP, Zhou C, Macpherson L, Allen SE, Ahmad NN, Klise SR; ATTAIN-1 Trial Investigators. Orforglipron, an Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1 Receptor Agonist for Obesity Treatment. N Engl J Med. 2025 Sep 16 [cited 2026 Aug 20]. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2511774. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40960239. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40960239/
- Kansakar U, Jankauskas SS, Pande S, Mone P, Varzideh F, Santulli G. Orforglipron: A Comprehensive Review of an Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1 Receptor Agonist for Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences [Internet]. 2026 Jan 30 [cited 2026 Aug 20];27(3):1409. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/3/1409
Next scheduled review date: 21 August 2029
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Authors
Written by: Dr. Zoë Lees (PhD)
Dr. Zoë Lees is a medical writer at MedExpress specialising in obesity and health communication. She completed her PhD at the University of Glasgow, where she investigated adipose tissue (fat tissue) function in pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. Her work focuses on translating complex clinical evidence into clear, engaging and evidence-based health information for patients and the public. At MedExpress, Zoë contributes to clinical content, educational resources and media communications across areas including weight management, GLP-1 therapies and metabolic disease. Zoë is particularly interested in improving public understanding of obesity as a chronic condition and ensuring patients have access to accurate, accessible health information grounded in current scientific evidence.
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Sophie Dix (BSc, PhD)
Dr. Sophie Dix is Head of Medical Affairs at MedExpress. A behavioural neuroscientist by training, Sophie has spent 30 years working at the intersection of medical research, pharmacology, technology and patient communication across the pharmaceutical industry, health technology and charity sectors. At MedExpress, Sophie's role is to ensure that everything the organisation does is grounded in the most current science. That means translating complex clinical evidence into accessible health information across the website, clinical pathways and media communications. It also means working with external press and broadcast media as a named expert commentator, making the science behind weight management and GLP-1 treatments understandable to a general audience. A core part of Sophie's work is building MedExpress's Real-World Evidence (RWE) programme: learning systematically from patient outcomes to understand what works in practice, not just in clinical trials. This patient-level insight feeds directly into improving patient experience and health outcomes. Sophie believes that patients make better decisions when they have access to accurate, evidence-based information. As an advocate for meaningful change in how obesity is understood, Sophie works to reduce stigma and raise awareness of the condition as an illness. This includes reframing the conversation around GLP-1s from aesthetics to public health, while highlighting the health benefits of weight loss and weight management.
Note from the experts
Remember: This blog shouldn’t be regarded as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We make sure everything we publish is fact checked by clinical experts and regularly reviewed, but it may not always reflect the most recent health guidelines. Always speak to your doctor about any health concerns you have.