Oral weight loss drug orforglipron helps patients retain 70% of lost weight after stopping injections

An experimental oral weight loss drug called orforglipron prevented patients from regaining much of the weight they had lost after stopping GLP-1 injections, according to a study funded by manufacturer Eli Lilly.

The trial, published in Nature Medicine, involved 376 US participants who had used GLP-1 jabs such as tirzepatide (Mounjaro) or semaglutide (Wegovy) for more than a year and lost weight. Researchers stopped the injections and gave participants either daily orforglipron tablets or a placebo for one year, without telling them which.

Those on orforglipron retained more than 70% of their prior weight loss. The placebo group held on to 38-50%.

Orforglipron mimics a natural hormone that curbs appetite and increases fullness, much like the injections. The drug is already available in the US, where the lowest dose costs around $149 per month, less than the over $1,000 monthly price for some GLP-1 shots. President Donald Trump has announced deals to cut costs on popular weight-loss drugs.

A UK launch could come soon, though pricing remains unknown. Eli Lilly also makes Mounjaro.

Dr. Marie Spreckley, a weight management researcher at the University of Cambridge not involved in the study, said a pill might appeal more to patients than injections. She added, "We still do not know how durable these effects will be over longer periods of time."

Experts say more research is needed to determine treatment duration, which could be lifelong.

Novo Nordisk, a rival, has an oral version of its Wegovy GLP-1 drug approved in the US, with a UK decision pending.