Daily weight-loss pill could help people shed twelve per cent of body weight

A daily pill for obesity could help people lose around twelve per cent of their body weight over a seventy-two-week period, according to trial results.

The drug’s manufacturer, Eli Lilly, says the treatment, called orforglipron, is not yet licensed but could be available as early as next year. It works by suppressing appetite and promoting a feeling of fullness.

Preliminary findings from a major trial show that people on the highest dose lost an average of twelve kilograms, nearly two stone, over sixteen months. However, about one in ten participants stopped taking the medication due to side effects such as nausea and vomiting.

In addition to weight loss, the trial also recorded improvements in cholesterol, blood fat levels and blood pressure.

Dr Kenneth Custer of Eli Lilly said the company plans to submit the drug for licensing before the end of the year, with a view to a “global launch to address this urgent public health need”.

The question now is where the pill might fit within the multi-billion-pound weight-loss market, which is currently dominated by injectable drugs such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic.

The oral medication is less effective than injectables. The twelve per cent weight loss seen with orforglipron compares with a twenty-two per cent reduction among those using Mounjaro, which is administered weekly by injection. Both treatments are produced by Eli Lilly.

Despite its lower efficacy, experts believe there will be strong demand for a needle-free alternative, particularly if it proves to be significantly cheaper than existing injectables. Lower costs could make the treatment accessible to many more.

The full results of the trial will be presented next month at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Rival company Novo Nordisk has also developed an oral version of its injectable drug Wegovy, which has already been submitted for approval in the United States. In trials, participants taking the highest dose lost around fifteen per cent of their body weight over sixty-four weeks.