Orforglipron (Foundayo): New Weight Loss Pill Approved in the UK
Written by: Christian Jakobsson · Medically reviewed by: Alessandro Grenci, Superintendent Pharmacist · Published: 12 August 2026 · Last updated: 12 August 2026
Orforglipron, sold in the UK as Foundayo, is a once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet authorised by the MHRA on 10 August 2026 for weight management and type 2 diabetes, making the UK the first country in Europe to authorise orforglipron. Unlike injectable forms of Wegovy and Mounjaro, it's taken as a tablet, with no food or water restrictions. It's prescription-only. Reuters reported that a Lilly spokesperson expects a private UK launch later this month. It is not currently available on the NHS.
In the pivotal ATTAIN-1 trial, people taking the highest studied dose lost an average of 11.2% of their starting body weight over 72 weeks, compared with 2.1% with placebo, using the treatment-regimen analysis.
Key facts
| Key fact | Orforglipron (Foundayo) |
|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Orforglipron |
| Brand | Foundayo |
| Type | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Form | Tablet |
| Frequency | Once daily |
| UK authorisation | 10 August 2026 |
| Weight-management indication | Yes |
| Type 2 diabetes indication | Yes |
| Prescription-only | Yes |
| Authorisation held by | Eli Lilly |
Foundayo UK availability at a glance
| Question | Current position |
|---|---|
| Authorised in the UK? | Yes - 10 August 2026 |
| Commercially available? | Not yet |
| Private launch | Expected later in August 2026 |
| Available on NHS? | No |
| NICE weight-management appraisal | In progress - guidance expected 18 November 2026 |
| Exact UK price announced? | No |
Foundayo UK timeline
- 14 July 2026 - NICE committee meeting held as part of its appraisal of orforglipron for overweight and obesity.
- 10 August 2026 - MHRA authorises Foundayo, the first authorisation of orforglipron in Europe.
- Expected later in August 2026 - Private UK launch, according to Eli Lilly.
- Expected 18 November 2026 - NICE guidance on orforglipron for weight management due.
What is orforglipron?
Orforglipron is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It mimics the action of a natural gut hormone involved in appetite and, in people with type 2 diabetes, blood sugar control. Foundayo is its UK brand name.
Orforglipron is a small-molecule, non-peptide GLP-1 receptor agonist. Unlike injectable forms of Wegovy and Mounjaro, Foundayo is taken as a tablet, and the MHRA says it can be taken at any time of day with no food or water restrictions.
Who can take orforglipron for weight loss?
Orforglipron is authorised for weight loss and weight maintenance in UK adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI between 27 and 30 with at least one weight-related comorbidity, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. It's separately authorised to improve blood sugar control in adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes.
Meeting these criteria doesn't guarantee a prescription. Suitability is assessed individually by an appropriate prescriber.
How does orforglipron work?
GLP-1 is a hormone released by the gut after eating. Orforglipron mimics its action, acting on areas of the brain involved in appetite to help people feel fuller for longer and reduce hunger and food cravings. In people with type 2 diabetes, it also helps lower blood sugar when levels are high.
How do you take orforglipron?
Foundayo is a tablet taken once daily, at any time of day, with no requirement to take it on an empty stomach and no food or water restrictions.
What doses of orforglipron are used?
| Stage | Daily dose |
|---|---|
| Starting dose | 0.8 mg |
| Step 2 | 2.5 mg |
| Step 3 | 5.5 mg |
| Step 4 | 9 mg |
| Step 5 | 14.5 mg |
| Highest dose | 17.2 mg |
The dose is increased gradually, with a minimum of one month at each level, per the MHRA.
How much weight can you lose with orforglipron?
In the pivotal ATTAIN-1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, without diabetes, taking the highest studied dose lost an average of 11.2% of their starting body weight after 72 weeks, compared with 2.1% on placebo.
| Group | Average body-weight change at 72 weeks (treatment-regimen estimand) |
|---|---|
| Lowest studied dose | -7.5% |
| Middle studied dose | -8.4% |
| Highest studied dose | -11.2% |
| Placebo | -2.1% |
ATTAIN-1 randomised 3,127 adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, across nine countries. At the highest dose, 54.6% of participants lost at least 10% of their starting weight, 36.0% lost at least 15%, and 18.4% lost at least 20% - compared with 12.9%, 5.9% and 2.8% respectively on placebo. These figures use the treatment-regimen analysis, which includes outcomes regardless of whether participants stopped the study treatment or used other prohibited weight-management treatment. Individual results vary considerably. These are trial-group averages, not a prediction for any one person.
Orforglipron results in people with type 2 diabetes
In ATTAIN-2, adults with obesity or overweight and type 2 diabetes taking the highest studied dose had an average body-weight reduction of 9.6% at 72 weeks, versus 2.5% with placebo, using the treatment-regimen analysis. HbA1c fell by 1.22 to 1.66 percentage points across the orforglipron groups, compared with 0.47 percentage points with placebo. A separate efficacy analysis, which estimates the effect if participants remained on treatment without using prohibited weight-management treatment, found weight reductions of 10.5% with the highest dose and 2.2% with placebo. A separate head-to-head trial, ACHIEVE-3, found greater reductions in HbA1c and body weight with orforglipron than with the oral semaglutide doses studied in adults with type 2 diabetes. ACHIEVE-3 did not compare orforglipron with the 25 mg Wegovy weight-management tablet.
Orforglipron vs Mounjaro and Wegovy
| Foundayo | Mounjaro | Wegovy injection | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Orforglipron | Tirzepatide | Semaglutide |
| Mechanism | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Form | Tablet | Injection | Injection |
| Frequency | Daily | Weekly | Weekly |
| UK weight-management authorisation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Food/water restrictions | None | Not applicable (injected) | Not applicable (injected) |
Orforglipron has not been directly compared with tirzepatide or injectable semaglutide in a head-to-head weight-management trial. Because the medicines were studied in separate trials with different populations and protocols, results from those trials should not be used to conclude that one medicine will produce more weight loss than another for an individual. They also differ in how they are taken. Foundayo is a once-daily tablet, while Mounjaro and injectable Wegovy are once-weekly injections.
Foundayo vs Wegovy pill: what's the difference?
The UK also has an oral semaglutide tablet, sold under the Wegovy brand, MHRA-approved on 11 June 2026.
| Foundayo | Wegovy pill | |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Orforglipron | Semaglutide |
| Molecule type | Small molecule (non-peptide) | Peptide |
| Maintenance dose | Up to 17.2 mg | Up to 25 mg |
| Food/water rules | None | Empty stomach after at least 8 hours fasting, with up to 120 mL water, then wait at least 30 minutes before food, drink or other oral medicines |
| UK approval | 10 August 2026 | 11 June 2026 |
The two weight-management tablets have not been compared head-to-head. Their administration requirements differ. Foundayo can be taken at any time of day without food or water restrictions, while the Wegovy tablet has specific fasting and administration instructions.
What are the side effects of orforglipron?
The MHRA lists the most common side effects as nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, dyspepsia (indigestion) and abdominal pain.
The UK Summary of Product Characteristics and Patient Information Leaflet - the definitive sources for the full UK safety information, including contraindications and warnings - had not been confirmed as published at the time of writing. The MHRA has said these documents will be published on its products website within seven days of approval. This section should be updated once the UK-specific product information is available. Anyone prescribed Foundayo should read and follow the Patient Information Leaflet supplied with the medicine.
Report suspected side effects to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse, or directly through the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme.
When will Foundayo be available in the UK?
It is not currently commercially available in the UK. Reuters reported that a Lilly spokesperson expects Foundayo to launch in the UK later in August 2026 through private prescription and PGD service. No exact launch date has been announced.
Is Foundayo available on the NHS?
No. The MHRA says Foundayo is not currently available through the NHS. NICE is appraising orforglipron for managing overweight and obesity (ID6516). A committee meeting was held on 14 July 2026 and guidance is expected on 18 November 2026. Decisions on routine NHS use will follow the usual NHS and NICE processes. NICE has decided not to run a separate technology appraisal of orforglipron for type 2 diabetes because its guideline NG28 already includes recommendations for GLP-1 receptor agonists at a class level.
How much will Foundayo cost in the UK?
An exact UK price hasn't been announced. Reuters reported that Eli Lilly expects Foundayo's private UK list price to be lower than Mounjaro's, but no Foundayo price was given.
Can you buy orforglipron online?
Foundayo is a prescription-only medicine. MHRA authorisation doesn't mean it can currently be bought or supplied in the UK. Once commercially available, it should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy following an appropriate clinical assessment and with a valid prescription from a suitably qualified prescriber. The MHRA has warned that buying GLP-1 medicines from unregulated sellers carries serious health risks.
FAQs
What is Foundayo?
Foundayo is the UK brand name for orforglipron, authorised by the MHRA on 10 August 2026.
Is orforglipron a GLP-1?
Yes. Orforglipron is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, also acts at the GLP-1 receptor. Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, acts at both GIP and GLP-1 receptors.
Is orforglipron the same as Ozempic?
No. Ozempic contains semaglutide and is injected. Orforglipron is a different active ingredient taken as a tablet.
Is orforglipron the same as Mounjaro?
No. Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, acts at both GIP and GLP-1 receptors, and is a weekly injection. Orforglipron is a daily tablet that acts at the GLP-1 receptor.
Does orforglipron need to be taken on an empty stomach?
No. The MHRA says it can be taken at any time of day, with no food or water restrictions.
How quickly does orforglipron work?
Weight changed gradually during the ATTAIN-1 trial, but there is no single reliable timetable for how quickly an individual will lose weight. The main published outcome was measured at 72 weeks.
How much weight can you lose with orforglipron?
In the treatment-regimen analysis of ATTAIN-1, the highest studied dose produced average weight loss of 11.2% at 72 weeks, versus 2.1% on placebo. Individual results vary.
Is Foundayo available on the NHS?
No. The MHRA says it is not currently available through the NHS. NICE guidance on orforglipron for weight management is expected on 18 November 2026.
