A new weight-loss pill taken daily could compete with injections like Ozempic, research suggests.
Patients, who all were obese and suffered from type 2 diabetes, took orforglipron for nine months as part of a trial, losing an average of 7.2kg (16 pounds).
The results of the study have sparked hopes the pill could treat both obesity and diabetes in the future, if approved by regulators.
Orforglipron can be taken any time of the day without restrictions on food and water intake, Eli Lilly, the company behind the drug, said.
David A Ricks, Eli Lilly chair and chief executive, said: “As a convenient once-daily pill, orforglipron may provide a new option and, if approved, could be readily manufactured and launched at scale for use by people around the world.”
Eli Lilly said it was confident in its ability to launch orforglipron worldwide as they look to treat chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, which is expected to impact an estimated 760 million adults by 2050.
It is also being studied as a potential treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension in adults with obesity.
The demand for weight management medications like Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy, have skyrocketed in popularity in the past two years.
Pharmacies in the UK have introduced new strict rules to crack down on those lying about their weight to access the drug.
And already eye-watering prices – around £200 per month in the UK and $1,000 (£824) in the US – are on the rise.
The drugs are GLP-1 medications, taken as a weekly injection, which help with weight loss and blood sugar management in people who have type 2 diabetes.
GLP-1 drugs increase the levels of incretins (hormones), which are naturally produced by the stomach when you eat.
They work by helping your body to produce more insulin, which also reduces the amount of glucose produced by the liver, and slows down how quickly food is digested. This means you can stay fuller for longer, and therefore eat less.
It has even proven effective at tackling heart failure and alcoholism. In the UK, Mounjaro and Wegovy are prescribed as weight-loss treatments. Ozempic is only licensed as a medicine for type 2 diabetes but is sometimes prescribed off-label as a weight-loss drug.
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