Health
New Daily Pill Helps Maintain Weight Loss
Health Points
- A daily pill called orforglipron helped maintain weight loss after stopping GLP-1 injection therapy.
- People on orforglipron regained far less weight than those switching to a placebo pill.
- Pills may lower barriers and expand access to GLP-1 obesity treatment.
A new oral GLP-1 medication, orforglipron, may offer a way for people to keep weight off after finishing injectable medications like Wegovy or Zepbound. In a recent clinical trial, those switching to orforglipron maintained nearly all their weight loss over a year.
By comparison, people moving to a placebo regained a significant portion of the weight they’d previously lost. Most studies report substantial weight gain after stopping injectable GLP-1 drugs.
“Orforglipron has the potential to redefine the maintenance phase of obesity care,” says Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician and professor at Harvard Medical School.
Ongoing treatment is key because obesity is a chronic condition.
The ATTAIN-MAINTAIN phase 3 trial included about 400 adults who completed an earlier weight-loss study and were then randomized to orforglipron or a placebo. The goal was to help participants maintain their lost weight while continuing diet and activity counseling.
After one year, people who had taken Wegovy regained only about 2 pounds on orforglipron, while those from Zepbound regained around 11 pounds. In contrast, those taking the placebo pill gained an average of 20 pounds in six months.
Many people may prefer a pill for ongoing treatment, as it avoids injections, reduces stigma, and offers more convenience. “Knowing there may be an oral option for maintenance could make some patients more willing to start injectable GLP-1 therapy,” adds Dr. Stanford.
GLP-1 pills activate appetite-regulating hormones, similar to shots. However, they may be absorbed differently and could lead to adjustments in dosage and side effect profiles.
Eli Lilly has submitted orforglipron for FDA approval, and it could be available as early as next year. An oral semaglutide (Wegovy pill) from another drugmaker may become available even sooner.
Orforglipron might be easier to use than the semaglutide pill, since there are no food restrictions required. Both options appear to share similar side effects, mostly mild digestive issues.
Dr. Stanford says pills may also reduce costs and expand healthcare access by being simpler to distribute and use. Lilly has announced introductory pricing for orforglipron at $149 to $399 per month once approved.
Consider consulting your healthcare provider about options for sustained weight management.
