A new clinical trial suggests that a daily weight-loss pill called orforglipron may become an important new treatment for people with type 2 diabetes.
The study found that the medicine lowered blood sugar more effectively and produced greater weight loss than the oral GLP-1 tablet currently available.
The findings add to growing excitement about medicines that help people lose weight without needing injections. The research is based on a phase 3 clinical trial and the results have recently been reported.
Type 2 diabetes affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. In this condition, the body cannot use insulin properly, causing blood sugar levels to remain too high.
Over time, uncontrolled diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and nerve damage. Many people with type 2 diabetes are also overweight, making weight loss an important part of treatment.
In recent years, GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, have transformed diabetes and obesity care.
These medicines copy the action of a natural hormone released after eating. They help people feel full sooner, slow stomach emptying and encourage the body to release more insulin. As a result, blood sugar falls and many people lose significant amounts of weight.
The biggest drawback is that most GLP-1 medicines must be injected. Some people dislike needles or find weekly injections inconvenient. They also require refrigeration during transport and storage, making access more difficult in some parts of the world.
Scientists have therefore searched for effective tablets. Current oral semaglutide works well but must be taken on an empty stomach and users must wait at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking. Only a very small amount of the medicine is absorbed by the body.
The new medicine, orforglipron, may solve some of these problems. In a 52-week phase 3 trial involving 1,698 adults from six countries, participants taking orforglipron reduced their HbA1c blood sugar levels by an average of 1.71% to 1.91%, compared with 1.47% for oral semaglutide.
They also lost an average of 6.1 to 8.2 kilograms, compared with about 5.3 kilograms in the comparison group.
Like other GLP-1 medicines, however, side effects were common. Many participants experienced nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. Around 59% of people taking orforglipron reported stomach-related side effects, and about 10% stopped treatment because of them.
Researchers also highlighted another advantage. Orforglipron is a small-molecule drug rather than a peptide medicine. This makes it simpler and potentially cheaper to manufacture. It also does not require refrigeration, which may improve access in countries with limited cold-storage facilities.
This large international phase 3 trial provides strong evidence that orforglipron may become an important new treatment for type 2 diabetes.
However, the comparison was against oral semaglutide rather than injectable GLP-1 medicines, and higher rates of side effects remain an important concern. Longer studies and direct comparisons with injectable drugs will be needed before its full place in treatment becomes clear.
Source: The Conversation (reporting on Eli Lilly phase 3 trial).
