Eli Lilly's Obesity Pill Orforglipron Shows 12% Weight Loss, Trails Novo Nordisk

Eli Lilly's obesity pill, orforglipron, has shown an average weight loss of 12.4% in a trial of over 3,000 obese patients. The primary endpoint was met by all three doses of the drug compared to placebo. While the results trail Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide, orforglipron was also associated with reductions in cardiovascular risk markers. The drug was generally well-tolerated, with gastrointestinal-related adverse events being the most common. Lilly plans to submit the drug to global regulatory agencies by year-end.

Eli Lilly's obesity pill, orforglipron, has shown an average weight loss of 12.4% in a trial of over 3,000 obese patients [1]. The primary endpoint was met by all three doses of the drug compared to placebo. While the results trail Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide, which achieved a 16.6% weight loss [2], orforglipron was also associated with reductions in cardiovascular risk markers. The drug was generally well-tolerated, with gastrointestinal-related adverse events being the most common. Lilly plans to submit the drug to global regulatory agencies by year-end.

The trial results, presented by Eli Lilly, indicated that 59.6% of participants taking the highest dose of orforglipron lost at least 10% of their body weight, while 39.6% lost at least 15%. This compares favorably to Novo Nordisk's oral semaglutide, which achieved a 16.6% weight loss [2]. The drug also demonstrated reductions in non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure, as well as a reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels by 47.7% in a pre-specified exploratory analysis [1].

The most commonly reported adverse events were gastrointestinal-related, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which were generally mild to moderate in severity. Approximately 10.3% of patients who took the highest dose of the pill discontinued treatment due to side effects [1]. This rate is higher than that seen with existing GLP-1s on the market, such as Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, which has discontinuation rates of around 7% or less [1].

Eli Lilly expects to submit the data to regulators by the end of the year, with plans to launch the pill in 2026. This launch could fundamentally shift the space, helping more patients access the treatments and alleviating the supply shortfalls of existing injections. The more convenient and easier-to-manufacture pill could also help Eli Lilly solidify its dominance in the growing segment as other drugmakers, including its main rival Novo Nordisk, race to bring weight loss pills to market.

References:
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/07/eli-lilly-obesity-pill-weight-los-trial.html
[2] https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/08/46960692/eli-lillys-closely-watched-obesity-pill-orforglipron-shows-around-12-weight-loss-but-trails-novo-nordisk