Eli Lilly’s experimental pill orforglipron helped people lose an average of 23 pounds and improve blood sugar control in a late-stage clinical trial, the company announced this week.
The once-daily tablet, part of a class of GLP-1 drugs, was tested in people with overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Participants taking the highest dose — 36 milligrams — shed about 10.5% of their body weight over 72 weeks and lowered their A1C, a key measure of blood sugar, by 1.8%, according to results reported by CNN.
These findings were slightly less dramatic than interim results released earlier this month, which showed average losses of 27 pounds, or 12.4% of body weight. The data have not yet undergone peer review.
Unlike Rybelsus, currently the only GLP-1 pill available, orforglipron does not require fasting or restrictions on water intake. The drug could offer a simpler alternative to injections, which many patients find challenging.
Reported side effects were generally mild to moderate, with stomach upset being the most common.
Lilly said it plans to seek global regulatory approval later this year and has already begun large-scale manufacturing to prepare for potential demand. The company is also studying whether the pill may help treat other conditions such as high blood pressure and sleep apnea.
“We want to ensure we’ll have adequate supply to meet demand,” Dr. Dan Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific officer, told CNN.
