Two oral GLP‑1s approved
The FDA approved oral semaglutide as the first GLP‑1 pill for weight loss and also approved Eli Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 orforglipron for obesity, with trials showing meaningful weight loss over time. (ajmc.com) (ajmc.com) Amazon Pharmacy says it will offer same‑day delivery of Lilly’s pill and insured patients could pay as little as $1 a day. (prismnews.com) An indirect comparison published in Pharmacy Times suggests oral semaglutide may provide greater weight loss and tolerability than orforglipron, and Lilly’s retatrutide also reported strong phase‑3 diabetes results in a separate trial. (pharmacytimes.com) (pharmacytimes.com)
The FDA has approved two once‑daily oral GLP‑1 pills for weight loss: Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide (Wegovy) and Eli Lilly’s orforglipron (Foundayo). (ajmc.com) Glucagon‑like peptide‑1, or GLP‑1, is a gut hormone that increases insulin release and reduces appetite, and GLP‑1 receptor agonists mimic that hormone to lower blood sugar and body weight. (my.clevelandclinic.org) Novo Nordisk’s OASIS 4 phase 3 trial showed oral semaglutide 25 mg produced mean weight loss around 13.6% at 64 weeks in adults with overweight or obesity. (ajmc.com) Eli Lilly’s ATTAIN‑1 phase 3 data for orforglipron showed placebo‑adjusted weight reductions of roughly 9–11 percentage points at 72 weeks, with adherent highest‑dose participants losing about 27.3 pounds (12.4%) in trial analyses. (ajmc.com) Amazon Pharmacy said it will stock Foundayo, offer same‑day delivery in nearly 3,000 U.S. cities expanding to about 4,500 by year end, and lists insured pricing starting as low as $1 per day. (businesswire.com) A population‑adjusted indirect treatment comparison presented at the Obesity Medicine Association found oral semaglutide 25 mg produced roughly 3.0–3.2 percentage points greater mean weight loss than orforglipron 36 mg and showed lower odds of stopping treatment for gastrointestinal adverse events. (pharmacytimes.com) By contrast, a head‑to‑head trial reported in The Lancet in people with type 2 diabetes found orforglipron outperformed oral semaglutide for glycemic control and weight in that specific diabetes population. (thelancet.com) Separately, Eli Lilly reported positive topline phase‑3 results for retatrutide — a once‑weekly triple agonist — showing significant hemoglobin A1c reductions and weight loss in the TRANSCEND‑T2D‑1 trial. (pharmacytimes.com) Foundayo’s label permits dosing any time of day without food or water restrictions, while oral semaglutide requires dosing on an empty stomach with a waiting period before eating, a practical difference that may affect patient choice. (prnewswire.com) Eli Lilly began accepting prescriptions for Foundayo immediately with shipping slated to begin April 6, 2026, and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill has been available in the U.S. since its early‑January 2026 launch — putting two oral GLP‑1 options into clinicians’ hands as comparative real‑world data and coverage decisions follow. (prnewswire.com)
