New Oral Drug Orforglipron Leads to Better A1C and Weight Loss
Data on the medication orforglipron, which was approved as Foundayo for weight management in April 2026, shows positive results for A1C and weight loss. Orforglipron is expected to be submitted for type 2 diabetes approval sometime this year.
Managing diabetes and obesity often means relying on costly injectable medications that require refrigeration – making them inaccessible for many, especially those seeking to avoid injections.
Recent studies have found that orforglipron, a once-daily oral GLP-1 receptor agonist being developed by Eli Lilly, lowered A1C and led to weight loss nearly matching its popular injectable, tirzepatide (Mounjaro) – but in pill form, with no food restrictions and no refrigeration needed. The results also show it’s safe, effective, and has side effects similar to other GLP-1s like semaglutide (Ozempic) and Mounjaro.
GLP-1s and incretin-based therapies continue to see tremendous innovation. A daily pill that doesn’t require cold storage could make powerful diabetes and weight management treatment available to millions more people, simplifying care and expanding access worldwide.
What does the research say?
New 2025 research showed that compared to oral semaglutide, orforglipron was more effective at lowering A1C in adults with type 2 diabetes. Roughly 37% of participants on the highest dose of orforglipron achieved an A1C of less than 5.7% compared to 12.5% on the highest dose of oral semaglutide after 52 weeks. Orforglipron was also found to be more effective for weight management, achieving nearly 74% greater weight loss on the highest dose compared to oral semaglutide.
A recently published study in people with overweight or obesity (but without diabetes) showed that after 72 weeks, participants lost roughly 27 pounds, or 12% of their body weight. In another 2025 study, participants with type 2 diabetes experienced A1C reductions of 1.3 to 1.6%, with roughly 65% of participants achieving an A1C of 6.5% or less over 40 weeks. In addition, higher doses of orforglipron (12 mg and 36 mg) saw meaningful reductions in weight; those on the 36 mg dose lost roughly 17 pounds. In both studies, participants also saw improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
What about safety and tolerability?
As with other GLP-1 medications, the most commonly reported side effects of orforglipron were gastrointestinal (nausea and vomiting). These adverse events tended to be mild to moderate in severity.
Researchers noted that side effects usually occurred early in the trial and when the doses were increased. Most adverse reactions resolved in about 4-8 weeks. Looking ahead, experts expect better tolerability with a different dosing schedule. There were no severe hypoglycemia events reported, and clinically significant hypoglycemia was low across the treatment groups.
What do the results mean for people with type 2 diabetes?
These findings show that orforglipron has the potential to become a new oral option for managing type 2 diabetes. Currently, Rybelsus (semaglutide) is the only oral GLP-1 approved for type 2 diabetes. Several other oral GLP-1s are also in development.
A huge benefit of oral GLP-1s like orforglipron would be their potential to eliminate the need for injections. As a result, people with type 2 diabetes may be better able to achieve their treatment and health goals. Orforglipron is currently approved for weight management, but not yet for type 2 diabetes.
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