As demand for weight-loss treatments continues to grow, pharmaceutical companies are racing to develop more effective and accessible medications. In addition to well-known injectable GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, new oral options are entering the market, Euronews reports.

A new tablet drug called orforglipron has shown greater effectiveness than alternative oral semaglutide in a recent clinical trial.

According to results published in The Lancet, participants lost an average of 6–8% of their body weight, compared to 4–5% achieved with existing oral semaglutide treatments.

Injectable forms remain the most popular weight-loss therapies. They have been available since 2014, and their popularity has grown significantly in recent years.

In an effort to make treatment more accessible and convenient, manufacturers are developing medications in pill form.

Orforglipron is a once-daily tablet that can be taken without any restrictions on food or fluid intake. Eli Lilly is betting on it to compete with Novo Nordisk, which currently holds approval for the only oral GLP-1 pill on the market.

The company has also developed Zepbound and Mounjaro—injectable treatments for long-term weight management and type 2 diabetes, respectively.

Orforglipron has not yet been approved for sale and is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Eli Lilly stated that, if approved, patients with obesity in the United States could access orforglipron at a starting price of $149 (€125.92) for the lowest dose, with higher doses costing up to $399 (€337) without insurance coverage.

The study involved more than 1,600 participants across over 130 research centers in five countries.

All participants had type 2 diabetes and were randomly assigned to receive different doses of orforglipron (12 mg or 36 mg) or equivalent doses of semaglutide over the course of one year.

About 60% of participants taking orforglipron lost at least 5% of their body weight, compared to around 40% of those receiving semaglutide.

Approximately 28–44% of participants on orforglipron lost 10% or more of their body weight, compared to 13–21% among those taking semaglutide.

For patients with type 2 diabetes, a 5–10% reduction in body weight can improve blood glucose metabolism. Greater weight loss may help reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications, the study notes.

Orforglipron was also more effective than semaglutide in lowering blood sugar levels.

“The more effective oral medications we have to help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and maintain it, the better,” said Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, who was not involved in the study.

“Excess weight is a major driver of type 2 diabetes and also contributes to high blood pressure and lipid disorders,” he added.

Although orforglipron led to greater weight loss, participants reported side effects more frequently.

Around 9–10% of participants discontinued treatment due to gastrointestinal issues, compared to about 5% among those taking semaglutide.

Marie Spreckley, a researcher in weight management and a physician at the University of Cambridge who was not involved in the study, noted that side effects could limit the drug’s tolerability in real-world clinical practice.

“The trial lasted one year and focused on glycemic control and weight loss, so long-term safety, cardiovascular outcomes, and durability of effect remain important but unanswered questions,” Spreckley added.