Type 2 diabetes affects hundreds of millions of people around the world and is one of the leading causes of heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and nerve damage.
The condition develops when the body cannot use insulin properly or does not produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar under control. Although healthy eating, exercise, and medicines can help, many people still struggle to reach their target blood sugar levels. Scientists are therefore searching for new treatments that are both effective and easy to use.
Researchers have now reported encouraging results for a new once-daily pill called orforglipron.
Two large phase 3 clinical trials, published in The Lancet and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), showed that the medicine significantly lowered blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. The results were also presented at the 2025 American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions.
Orforglipron belongs to the GLP-1 class of medicines. These medicines copy the action of a natural hormone that helps the body release insulin after meals, reduces the amount of sugar made by the liver, slows stomach emptying, and helps people feel full for longer. Most GLP-1 medicines are injections, but orforglipron is designed to be taken as a tablet once a day.
The first study involved adults who were already taking metformin, the most commonly prescribed diabetes medicine. Nearly 1,000 participants were assigned to different doses of orforglipron or to dapagliflozin, another widely used diabetes drug.
After 40 weeks, all doses of orforglipron lowered HbA1c, a measure of average blood sugar over the previous two to three months, by more than dapagliflozin. The higher doses produced the greatest improvements.
The second trial included adults who were already using insulin glargine, a long-acting insulin that helps control blood sugar throughout the day. Some participants also continued taking metformin or SGLT2 inhibitor medicines.
Those who received orforglipron experienced much larger reductions in HbA1c than those who received a placebo while continuing insulin treatment.
Researchers believe these findings are important because many people with type 2 diabetes eventually require several medicines to keep blood sugar under control. Having an effective tablet instead of another injection may make treatment easier for many patients.
The investigators emphasized that the medicine may become a valuable option for people who need additional blood sugar control despite taking existing treatments. More research will continue to evaluate its overall benefits and safety.
These two phase 3 clinical trials provide strong evidence that oral orforglipron can improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes, including those already taking metformin or basal insulin. The studies were large, randomized, and published in leading medical journals, making the findings credible.
However, the trials lasted only 40 weeks, so longer studies are still needed to assess long-term safety, durability of blood sugar control, weight changes, and cardiovascular outcomes. It is also important to note that Eli Lilly funded the studies, so independent research will continue to be valuable.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about high vitamin D level linked to lower dementia risk in diabetes, and this eating habit could help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes.
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Source: American Diabetes Association / Eli Lilly.
