Weight loss pill just as effective as popular injectables in late-stage trial

Eli Lilly says its weight loss pill is just as effective as popular injections. — Image credit: Getty Images

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Eli Lilly said its weight loss pill Orforglipron has proven just as successful as popular injections in a late-stage trial among type 2 diabetics. On average, trial participants lost 8% of their body weight.
The pill was also found to lower blood sugar.
Unlike weight loss injections, the oral pill must be taken daily, instead of weekly.

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A new weight loss pill that targets hormones in the same way popular weight loss injections do is showing promise in late-stage trials.

What did the trial show?

Drugmaker Eli Lilly said its GLP-1 pill, Orforglipron, met its goals in the first of seven phase three trials. This trial was specific to people with type 2 diabetes.

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Eli Lilly said the pill not only helped diabetics lower their blood sugar, it also helped them lose weight.

How much weight did people lose?

On average, those taking the pill at the highest dose lost about 8% of their body weight, or around 16 pounds, which could have a significant impact for those living with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Lilly also said, so far, the pill is just as safe as any of the popular weight loss injections on the market.

How does the weight loss pill work?

Orforglipron works similarly to tirzepatide, the ingredient in Mounjaro. Mounjaro is Lilly’s injection to treat type two diabetes.

Tirzepatide is also used in the company’s injectable, Zepbound, which was specifically approved by the FDA for weight loss. Unlike the injections, though, the pill is taken daily instead of weekly.

While tirzepatide targets two weight-related hormones, orforglipron only targets one. However, there was only a slight difference in total weight loss between the two. The side effects, mainly gastrointestinal issues, were also similar.

Is the the only weight loss pill in the works?

The success of Eli Lilly’s pill comes just days after rival drugmaker Pfizer said it would stop testing its own weight loss pill after a patient experienced liver issues.

Novo Nordisk is also developing an oral weight loss pill called amycretin, that targets both GLP-1 and amylin receptors.

Shea Taylor (Producer) and Michael Edwards (Video Editor) contributed to this report.

Tags: Diabetes, Drugs, Eli Lilly, FDA, Health, Medication, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, trial, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Weight Loss

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

A NEW WEIGHT LOSS PILL THAT TARGETS HORMONES IN THE SAME WAY POPULAR WEIGHT LOSS INJECTIONS DO – IS SHOWING PROMISE IN LATE STAGE TRIALS.

DRUGMAKER ELI LILLY SAYS ITS G-L-P-1 PILL – CALLED ORFORGLIPRON (or-for-glip-ron) – MET ITS GOALS IN THE FIRST OF SEVEN PHASE THREE TRIALS.

THIS FIRST TRIAL WAS SPECIFIC TO PEOPLE WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES,

ELI LILLY SAYS THE PILL NOT ONLY HELPED DIABETICS LOWER THEIR BLOODSUGAR – IT ALSO HELPED THEM LOSE WEIGHT.

ON AVERAGE, THOSE TAKING THE PILL AT THE HIGHEST DOSE LOST ABOUT 8 PERCENT OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT, OR AROUND 16 POUNDS – WHICH COULD BE A REAL GAME CHANGER FOR THOSE LIVING WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES OR PRE-DIABETES.

LILLY ALSO SAID, SO FAR, THE PILL IS JUST AS SAFE AS ANY OF THE POPULAR WEIGHT LOSS INJECTIONS ON THE MARKET.

ORFORGLIPRON WORKS SIMILARLY TO TIRZEPATIDE – THE INGREDIENT IN MOUNJARO, ELI LILLY’S INJECTION TO TREAT TYPE TWO DIABETES.

TIRZEPATIDE IS ALSO WHAT’S USED IN THE COMPANY’S INJECTABLE SPECIFICALLY APPROVED BY THE F-D-A FOR WEIGHT LOSS – ZEPBOUND.

BUT UNLIKE THE INJECTIONS, THE PILL IS TAKEN DAILY INSTEAD OF WEEKLY.

AND WHILE TIRZEPATIDE TARGETS **TWO** WEIGHT-RELATED HORMONES – ORFORGLIPRON ONLY TARGETS ONE… HOWEVER, THERE WAS ONLY A **SLIGHT** DIFFERENCE IN TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS BETWEEN THE TWO.

THE SIDE EFFECTS WERE ALSO SIMILAR – MAINLY GASTROINTESTINAL ISSUES.

THE SUCCESS OF ELI LILLY’S PILL COMES JUST DAYS AFTER RIVAL DRUGMAKER PFIZER SAID IT WOULD STOP TESTING ITS OWN WEIGHT LOSS PILL… AFTER A PATIENT EXPERIENCED LIVER ISSUES.