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Recent research suggests that a new daily pill could support individuals in maintaining weight loss after discontinuing weight-loss injections. The medication, named orforglipron, is currently available in the United States and may soon be introduced in the United Kingdom.
Clinical trials involving patients who had previously been using GLP-1 injections showed that those who took orforglipron daily for a year successfully prevented significant weight regain, a common challenge when stopping injectable treatments. The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine and funded by Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures both the weight loss injection Mounjaro and orforglipron.
Experts emphasize the chronic nature of obesity and the need for ongoing treatment. Dr Marie Spreckley, a weight management researcher at the University of Cambridge not involved in the study, highlighted that while taking a pill may be more appealing than injections, “we still do not know how durable these effects will be over longer periods of time.” She also stated that the study “reinforces the growing recognition that obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease that often requires ongoing treatment and support.”
Orforglipron functions similarly to GLP-1 injections by mimicking a natural hormone that suppresses appetite and prolongs feelings of fullness. In the US, the medication is priced around $149 per month for the lowest dose, making it more affordable than some injectable GLP-1 drugs, which can cost over $1,000 monthly. However, the price for orforglipron in the UK is yet to be determined. Comparable oral formulations are also in development, including Novo Nordisk’s tablet version of its injectable GLP-1 drug Wegovy, which has been approved in the US and awaits regulatory consideration in the UK.
The study involved 376 participants who had used GLP-1 injections such as tirzepatide (Mounjaro) or semaglutide (Wegovy) for over a year and had achieved weight loss. These individuals discontinued the injections and were randomly assigned to receive either orforglipron or a placebo pill daily for one year, without knowing which treatment they were receiving. Results showed that those taking orforglipron maintained more than 70% of their previous weight loss, compared to 38-50% in the placebo group. While side effects including nausea, constipation, and diarrhea were common, they were generally mild.
Dr Simon Cork from Anglia Ruskin University described the study as “really important,” addressing a major limitation of injectable GLP-1 treatments, which is significant weight rebound after stopping the medication. He also noted that improvements in blood pressure, lipid levels, and blood glucose were sustained in patients taking the oral drug, potentially reducing longer-term obesity-related risks such as heart disease
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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