A new daily pill may help people with obesity lose a significant amount of weight without the need for injections.
The medication, called orforglipron, is a once-daily tablet that belongs to a group of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.
These drugs help people feel full and reduce appetite, and they are already used for managing type 2 diabetes and supporting weight loss.
However, most GLP-1 drugs, such as semaglutide, are given by injection, which can be uncomfortable or hard to access for many people.
Orforglipron could change that. In a new international study involving more than 3,100 people with obesity but not diabetes, orforglipron helped participants lose up to 11% of their body weight after 72 weeks of treatment.
The study was presented at a major diabetes conference in Vienna and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Participants came from nine countries, including the U.S., China, India, Brazil, and Spain. They were randomly assigned to receive a placebo or one of three doses of orforglipron—6 mg, 12 mg, or 36 mg—along with guidance on healthy eating and physical activity.
By the end of the study, people taking the highest dose (36 mg) lost an average of 11.2% of their body weight.
Over half lost at least 10% of their weight, and nearly one in five lost 20% or more. Those who took the 12 mg and 6 mg doses also lost weight, though less than the high-dose group. People in the placebo group lost only about 2.1% of their body weight.
The study also showed improvements in other health measures, such as waist size, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. This suggests that orforglipron may not only help people lose weight but also improve their overall heart and metabolic health.
The most common side effects were mild to moderate stomach issues like nausea or diarrhea. A small number of people (up to 10%) stopped taking the pill due to side effects, compared to 2.7% in the placebo group. These types of side effects are common with other drugs in the GLP-1 family.
This study is important because orforglipron is taken as a pill, not an injection. That could make it easier for more people to try the treatment, especially those who dislike needles or cannot afford injectable drugs.
The researchers also noted that the trial included a wide variety of people from many different countries, including over 35% men, which adds to the strength of the findings.
However, the study had some limits. It didn’t compare orforglipron directly with other approved weight loss drugs, and the body mass index (BMI) guidelines used may not apply to all ethnic groups. Also, since more weight loss medications are becoming available, this might influence how people stick to one treatment over time.
Orforglipron is not yet approved for public use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any other regulatory agency. More research and approval steps are needed before it becomes widely available.
Still, this pill could offer a more convenient and accessible option for people living with obesity, especially those who currently struggle to access or afford injectable medications.
The study is published in New England Journal of Medicine.
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