Daily pill could help people lose 20% of their body weight

A daily pill for weight loss could help people reduce their body weight by as much as a fifth, according to atrial that could pave the way for millions more people to shed pounds.

- Andrew Gregory Health editor

The drug, called orforglipron, is manufactured by Eli Lilly and targets the same GLP-1 receptors as weight loss injections such as Mounjaro and Wegovy. In a trial of 3,127 adults, one in five people who took the once-a-day tablet for 72 weeks lost 20% or more of their body weight.

Weight loss jabs have been transformative but pill versions are seen as a holy grail because they are easier to store, distribute and administer and are also expected to be cheaper.

Orforglipron is a GLP-1 agonist, a type of medication that helps lower blood sugar levels, slows the digestion of food and can reduce appetite.

The weight loss seen among people taking the tablet is not as stark as that among patients taking tirzepatide (Mounjaro), which is also made by Eli Lilly, but experts believe the tablet will be more accessible and convenient compared with injections.