Lilly unveils new weight-loss drug

Company says pill has advantages over injected drugs

- GINA KOLATA

People who were overweight or had obesity lost a substantial amount of weight after taking a daily pill made by Eli Lilly, the company reported Wednesday.

The pharmaceutical manufacturer will be applying to the Food and Drug Administration by the end of this year for marketing approval for the medication, which would provide an alternative to injectable drugs that produce weight loss and are already on the market.

Eli Lilly plans “a large investment,” in manufacturing the drug, orforglipron, said Kenneth Custer, executive vice president at Lilly and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health.

The company reported its results in a news release, as drug companies are required to do immediately after they receive study data that could affect their stock price. But the data is not a full report and has not been examined by outside experts. Eli Lilly says it will publish detailed results later this year.