Eli Lilly’s Weight Loss Pill Turns Out To Be A Big Success In Its First Late-stage Trial On Diabetes Patients. (Image: Canva)
In what comes as a massive breakthrough in the health industry, Eli Lilly, the maker of Zepbound and Mounjaro, has announced success of its experimental pill which can help Type 2 diabetes patients lower their blood sugar and body weight. Called orforglipron, this pill will being us another step closer to becoming a new and needle-free alternative in fostering weight loss.
The trial of the drug measured its efficacy and safety in adults with Type 2 diabetes compared to a placebo. After the trial, it was found that the pill lowered A1C, a blood level used to diagnose diabetes, by an average of 1.3% to 1.6%.
It was found out that participants who took the highest dose lost an average of 16 pounds. In its news release, the company stated, "Given that participants had not yet reached a weight plateau at the time the study ended, it appears that full weight reduction was not yet attained." As of now, no information has come out on the demographics of the people who were a part of this trial.
According to the company, this pill will be an alternative to injections and also the first small molecule oral GLP-1 to succeed in a Phase 3 trial.
Some people also faced certain adverse effects, including mild to moderate gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea, nausea, indigestion, constipation and vomiting.
Now, the company plans to submit orforglipron to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval as a Type 2 diabetes treatment in 2026. As far as weight management is concerned, the drug will be sent to global regulatory agencies by the end of this year.
If approved, the company is confident in its ability to launch orforglipron worldwide without supply constraints," the news release said. "This would further Lilly's mission to reduce chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, which is expected to impact an estimated 760 million adults by 2050," it further added.
If it is approved by federal regulators, it would become the first GLP-1 oral drug for weight loss to hit the market. While Novo Nordisk currently makes an oral GLP-1 drug, it’s only approved for diabetes and not for weight loss. It also uses a lower dose than orforglipron and produces about half the weight loss on average.
What sets Orforglipron apart is that it comes with no food or drinking restrictions. On the other hand, people have to take Novo’s drug 30 minutes before eating or drinking. Additionally, they need to limit their consumption of fatty, spicy, and sweet food items.
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