💊 New Pill Shows Promise With Weight Loss & Type 2 Diabetes
- Rebecca Guldberg
- 4 days ago
- 1 min read
🩺 Eli Lilly completed a 40-week Phase 3 trial that involved 559 participants taking a new oral medication called "Orforglipron." They say it shows promise for type 2 diabetes and weight loss. Eli Lilly says those on the highest dose experienced:
✅ An average 8% weight loss (or up to 16 lbs) over 40 weeks
✅ A 1.6% reduction in HbA1C levels
✅ Over 65% achieved HbA1C ≤ 6.5%, indicating potential diabetes remission.
Eli Lilly says Orforglipron is a once-daily pill that doesn't require dietary restrictions or water intake. Its safety profile is consistent with other GLP-1 drugs, showing mostly mild gastrointestinal side effects. Another pill, Rybelsus (oral semaglutide), does currently exist. It's taken daily, but it must be taken on an empty stomach with water and no food for at least 30 minutes.
Results of the clinical trial will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at the American Diabetes Association conference in June.
Eli Lilly plans to seek FDA approval for weight loss by the end of 2025 and for diabetes treatment in 2026. If approved, Orforglipron could offer a more accessible and convenient option for millions worldwide.