Eli Lilly's Orforglipron Pills: A New Hope for Weight Loss and Diabetes Treatment

Image credits: CanvaGone are the days when walking, running and dieting were the only ways to lose belly rolls. Now, all you need is a jab and if that makes you uncomfortable, then just wait for a pill to swallow, just that this one will be sweet as it will work the same wonders as its injectable counterparts.While developed for diabetic patients, GLP-1 injections have changed the world of people tackling obesity and body image issues. From tennis to acting legends, all have sung heaps of praises for these injections that slow digestion by increasing the time it takes for food to leave the body, thus reducing hunger calls and weight.Options, options: Jabs or pills?For those who fear the jabs, the parent company Eli Lilly is developing Orforglipron pills to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes.Currently in the final stages of development, the pills work by mimicking the effect of the injectable GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, thus helping with weight loss and blood sugar management.Developed as an alternative to the injections, the pill is designed to be taken once a day, with no restrictions on food or drinks.How does Orforglipron work?Orforglipron mimics a natural hormone in the body called GLP-1 that regulates appetite and digestion.It makes a person feel full faster, eat less and slows the process of digestion, thus supporting weight loss. It may also improve cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation, also supporting heart and overall health.Most GLP-1 treatments contain peptides, meaning they consist of chains of amino acids that break down in the digestive system and need to be injected typically. While there are oral options like Rybelsus, they come with strict dosing requirements.Orforglipron in comparison is a small-molecule drug that unlike peptides is stable in the digestive system and can be taken as pills without many restrictions, making it easier and cheaper to manufacture.Will Orforglipron work?In August 2025, Eli Lilly announced the results of a late-stage Phase 3 trial, which is the final step before a company can apply for regulatory approval to sell a medication. The trial was designed to evaluate the drug's effectiveness and safety in a large group of people, specifically adults with obesity or those who were overweight with at least one health condition and followed participants for 72 weeks.Participants taking the highest dose, 36 mg, experienced significant weight loss compared to the placebo group. The following are the effects:Participants experienced an average weight loss of 27.3 lbs as compared to 2.2 lbs for the placebo59.6% participants lost at least 10% of their body weightNearly 40% lost at least 15% of their body weightRisks of consumption: Orforglipron has side effectsWhile it was well-tolerated in the trial, the drug does have mild to moderate digestive side effects such as nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting and indigestion.How soon can you buy it?As of now, the company has plans to submit the pills to the FDA for regulatory review in 2025 for weight loss and in 2026 for type 2 diabetes. If approved, Eli Lilly expects to launch it globally.As of yet, options such as injectable weight loss drugs were a bit heavy on the pocket, especially in the USA when compared to the UK. Currently, those who pay for their own medications or don't go through insurance can get a month's supply of Ozempic for $499.Wegovy is also available at the same rate, as per the official website of both the drugs' parent company Novo Nordisk.Eli Lilly, which owns Zepbound, an Ozempic rival also slashed the jab's price to $349 for a 2.5mg vial and $499 for a 5mg vial for a month's prescription.With pills that are cheaper and easier to make, the cost could be cut even lower and make the drug more accessible to people whose insurance doesn't cover them. Additionally, according to data from theNational Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the prevalence of obesity in adults during August 2021-2023 was 40.3% with no significant differences between men and women. Thus, more Americans could soon be strutting down the streets with even more confidence and less pain from the jabs.