Lilly’s oral obesity pill posts slow start

Eli Lilly’s new obesity pill Foundayo posted 3,707 U.S. prescriptions in its second week, an early launch result that trailed Novo Nordisk’s oral Wegovy by a wide margin. (reuters.com) (bloomberg.com) The figure came from IQVIA data cited by analysts for the week ended April 17. Reuters reported Foundayo had drawn 1,390 prescriptions in its first week, so the second-week total was higher but still modest for a closely watched launch. (reuters.com 1) (reuters.com 2) Bloomberg said Novo’s oral Wegovy reached 18,410 prescriptions in its own second week, giving investors an immediate benchmark for the new pill-vs.-pill contest. Reuters said Lilly shares fell while Novo Nordisk rose after the prescription data circulated. (bloomberg.com) (reuters.com) Foundayo is Lilly’s brand name for orforglipron, a once-daily GLP-1 pill approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on April 1 for adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition. Lilly said prescriptions were accepted immediately and shipping began on April 6 through LillyDirect. (investor.lilly.com) (usatoday.com) GLP-1 drugs mimic a gut hormone that helps control appetite and blood sugar. Lilly said Foundayo can be taken any time of day without food or water restrictions, a convenience pitch that sets it apart from some earlier oral GLP-1 medicines. (investor.lilly.com) (medicalxpress.com) Analysts had framed the launch as a major test because Novo’s pill reached the market first, in January, giving the Danish drugmaker a head start in oral obesity treatment. Fierce Pharma reported some analysts were modeling more than 5 million Foundayo prescriptions in 2026 before launch. (fiercepharma.com 1) (fiercepharma.com 2) Lilly is still leading Novo in the injectable obesity market with Zepbound, even as this week’s data suggested a weaker opening in pills. Reuters reported Zepbound prescriptions slipped about 2% in the same period, while injectable Wegovy prescriptions rose 7%. (reuters.com) (finance.yahoo.com) Lilly told investors on April 1 that commercially insured patients could pay as little as $25 a month and self-pay patients could pay $149 through LillyDirect. The next weekly prescription reports will show whether those pricing and distribution tactics can close the early gap. (investor.lilly.com)