Drugmaker Eli Lilly said Thursday that an experimental pill form of popular GLP-1 medications helped people with type 2 diabetes lose an average of nearly 8% of their body weight after 40 weeks and lowered their A1C levels.
An experimental oral medication from Eli Lilly, a GLP-1 receptor agonist named orforglipron, has shown promising results in a mid-stage clinical trial for people with type 2 diabetes. The trial, involving 302 participants, demonstrated that the pill effectively lowered blood sugar levels and facilitated weight loss, with participants losing between 3.3 to 8.6 pounds on average, depending on the dosage, compared to a weight gain of 1.1 pounds in the placebo group. The drug was well-tolerated, with the most common side effects being mild to moderate gastrointestinal issues. These findings suggest that orforglipron could be a convenient alternative to injectable GLP-1 therapies, potentially offering a new treatment option for managing type 2 diabetes and aiding weight loss.