Researchers have reported encouraging results for a new tablet that may make weight-loss and diabetes treatment easier for millions of people.
The medicine, called orforglipron, is taken once a day and may offer an effective alternative to injectable GLP-1 medicines. According to a large phase 3 clinical trial, the tablet produced better blood sugar control and greater weight loss than the oral GLP-1 medicine currently on the market.
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are closely connected. Carrying excess body weight makes it harder for the body to control blood sugar, increasing the risk of serious complications. Doctors often recommend healthy eating and exercise first, but many people eventually need medication.
GLP-1 medicines have become some of the most successful treatments available. They reduce appetite, help people feel full for longer and improve insulin release after meals. Although highly effective, many require injections, something that some patients find uncomfortable or inconvenient.
Scientists have been working to develop tablets that provide similar benefits. Existing oral semaglutide has shown that this is possible, but it comes with practical limitations. It must be taken under strict conditions and only a tiny amount reaches the bloodstream.
The new drug appears to overcome many of these challenges. Researchers followed 1,698 adults with type 2 diabetes for one year. Participants taking orforglipron achieved larger reductions in HbA1c and greater average weight loss than those taking oral semaglutide.
These improvements suggest that the medicine may become a strong competitor in the growing market for diabetes and obesity treatments.
Scientists believe one reason is that orforglipron belongs to a different class of medicines known as small-molecule drugs. Unlike peptide medicines, these compounds are easier to manufacture and can pass through the digestive system more efficiently. They also avoid the need for refrigerated transport, making worldwide distribution simpler.
The trial also highlighted an important weakness. Digestive side effects remained common, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.
More participants stopped taking orforglipron because of these problems than those taking oral semaglutide. This means that while the medicine appears highly effective, some patients may find it difficult to continue treatment.
Researchers are now studying whether orforglipron also works well in people living with obesity who do not have diabetes. Those results will help determine whether the medicine can compete directly with today’s leading weight-loss drugs.
The trial was large, carefully designed and lasted 52 weeks, making the findings reliable for comparing the two oral medicines. However, no direct comparison with injectable GLP-1 drugs has yet been completed, so it is still unclear how well orforglipron performs against the most effective injections.
The higher rate of side effects is another important issue that future studies will need to address. Even so, this medicine has the potential to expand access to GLP-1 treatment because it combines strong effectiveness with the convenience of a daily tablet.
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Source: The Conversation (reporting on Eli Lilly phase 3 trial).
