THE UK has become the first country in Europe to approve a daily weight loss pill made by the same company as Mounjaro.
Foundayo, a drug developed by Eli Lilly and used for thetreatment of Type 2 diabetes and obesity, will now be available to private patients
The ruling by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not mean that the medicine will be available through the NHS for weight management yet.
A New Oral GLP-1 Option
Foundayo, is a once-daily oral GLP-1 receptor agonist and like other medicines in the GLP-1 class, works partly by reducing appetite and helping people feel fuller, supporting weight loss alongside dietary and lifestyle changes.
The tablet provides an alternative to injectable treatments unlike other oral GLP-1 medications currently on the market, can be taken at any time of the day and does not require an empty stomach.
The MHRA previously approved the oral version of Wegovy (semaglutide) for weight management in June 2026, making Foundayo the second GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet approved for weight management in the UK.
NHS Availability Still to Be Decided
Although Foundayo has received regulatory approval, its availability through the NHS for weight management is a separate decision.
Eli Lilly has indicated that the medicine can already be used by the NHS for type 2 diabetes but confirmed it would be making an application to NICE for its use to extended to weight-management treatment too.
NICE assessment considers factors including the clinical benefits of a treatment and whether it represents value for money for the NHS.
Could Foundayo Help Maintain Weight Loss?
In trials, the drug showed benefits in comparison to weight loss jabs for helping patients maintain weight loss in the long-term after moving away from injectable GLP-1 treatments.
In the Phase III ATTAIN-MAINTAIN trial, people who had previously lost weight while taking semaglutide (Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro) injectables were switched to either orforglipron or placebo.1
After 52 weeks, those taking orforglipron maintained substantially more of their previous weight loss than those receiving placebo. Among people who had previously taken semaglutide, approximately 79% of their previous weight reduction was maintained with orforglipron, compared with around 38% with placebo.
For those who had previously taken tirzepatide, approximately 75% of their previous weight reduction was maintained with orforglipron, compared to around 49% with placebo
However, the study did not compare switching to orforglipron with continuing the injectable treatment, and longer-term research is still needed.
Patients taking weight-management medication are also advised to follow a healthy diet and maintain regular physical activity as part of their treatment.
What Does This Mean for Patients?
The approval of Foundayo gives patients and healthcare professionals another oral option for managing obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Its once-daily dosing and ability to be taken without regard to meals could make it a convenient alternative for people who do not want, or cannot easily use, injectable treatments.
The arrival of another oral GLP-1 treatment also increases competition in the rapidly expanding obesity-treatment market, where pharmaceutical companies are increasingly developing alternatives to injectable medicines.
Prof Naveed Sattar of the University of Glasgow agreed it was “good news”.
He said: “The arrival of another effective oral option is a positive development and should help more people access treatment that best suits their needs and preferences.”
Aronne LJ et al. Orforglipron for maintenance of body weight reduction: the double-blind, randomized phase 3b ATTAIN-MAINTAIN trial. Nat Med. 2026;32(7):2679-2687
Featured image: Mouse family on AdobeStock
Author:
Cecilia Adamou
