Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 plan

Eli Lilly says it plans to launch its obesity pill orforglipron in more than 40 countries, including India, after local approvals. (investor.lilly.com, news9live.com) The United States Food and Drug Administration approved the drug on April 1, 2026, for adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related medical problems. Lilly is selling it in the United States as Foundayo. (investor.lilly.com, news9live.com) Glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs mimic a gut hormone that helps people feel fuller and eat less. Lilly says orforglipron is a once-daily tablet that can be taken without food or water restrictions, unlike some earlier oral drugs in the class. (investor.lilly.com, investor.lilly.com) In Lilly’s ATTAIN-1 obesity trial, patients on the highest dose who stayed on treatment lost an average of 27.3 pounds, or 12.4% of body weight, versus 2.2 pounds on placebo. Across all participants regardless of completion, the average loss was 25 pounds, or 11.1%. (investor.lilly.com) Lilly’s India unit said India took part in the global Phase 3 ATTAIN-1 study, but the company did not give a date for Indian regulatory approval or launch. Winselow Tucker, president and general manager of Lilly India, said the company is committed to launching the drug there subject to approval. (news9live.com) The rollout comes as the weight-loss pill market shifts from injections alone to tablets. Novo Nordisk’s oral Wegovy won United States approval on December 22, 2025, and launched in early January 2026, giving Lilly a direct pill-to-pill rival. (cnbc.com, cnbc.com) Lilly argues the tablet format could be easier to manufacture and easier for patients who do not want a weekly injection. Chief executive David Ricks told CNBC the company sees pill supply as something that can scale globally, even though Foundayo produced less weight loss than Lilly’s injectable Zepbound. (cnbc.com, investor.lilly.com) The company has also been building the case for orforglipron in diabetes. In a Phase 3 head-to-head trial published in The Lancet on February 26, 2026, Lilly said the 36 milligram dose lowered blood sugar by 2.2% and reduced weight by 19.7 pounds, outperforming oral semaglutide 14 milligrams over 52 weeks. (investor.lilly.com) For now, Lilly’s next step outside the United States is regulatory: the company says it has already submitted orforglipron in more than 40 countries and plans to launch shortly after approvals arrive. (investor.lilly.com, investor.lilly.com)