Everything you need to know about the game-changing new diabetes pill

Experts have hailed a powerful new weapon in the fight against Type 2 diabetes – a simple daily pill that can help people shed pounds and bring their blood sugar levels under control. Orfroglipron, made by Lilly, is an oral GLP-1 drug that works in the same way as weight loss jabs.

However, it could be much cheaper to mass produce, easier to distribute and more convenient for patients to take, without any need for injections. A study published in The Lancet on Thursday compared orforglipron to the only other approved GLP-1 tablet, oral semaglutide. The new pill was found to lead to greater weight loss and help more people bring their blood glucose near to the normal range within one year.

Here’s everything you need to know about this promising new medication.

Orforglipron is a next-generation GLP-1 receptor agonist developed by pharmaceutical giant Lilly for weight management and treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

Current leading weight loss drugs like Wegovy are peptide drugs, which are large molecules that can be destroyed in the stomach. This is why they must be injected.

Orforglipron is a non-peptide drug, meaning it is easier for the body to absorb and can survive passing through the stomach before entering the bloodstream.

It then works in the same way as GLP-1 injections like Wegovy and Ozempic by mimicking hormones that lower blood sugar, slow digestion, and reduce appetite.

There is one other weight loss pill currently available on the NHS, but it must be taken in the morning, 30 minutes before eating, so orforglipron may be a more convenient option for patients.

Studies so far suggest orforglipron is not quite as effective as weight loss jabs. People with Type 2 diabetes taking the drug for one year in The Lancet study lost between 6% to 8% of their body weight.

Another global trial last year for weight management found patients on the highest 36mg dose lost on average 12.4kg, or 12.4% of their body weight, over 18 months.

As well as weight loss, improvements were seen in markers of heart health, such as levels of “bad” cholesterol and blood pressure.

In similar trials, patients using injected weight loss drugs such as tirzepatide have lost up to a fifth of their body weight over 72 weeks.

Side effects of orforglipron included nausea (reported by a third of patients on the highest dose), constipation (25%), diarrhoea (23%) and vomiting (24%). Lilly said these effects and the safety profile of the drug were comparable to similar treatments given as jabs.

However, there are other key benefits to having a new pill option. Tablets are cheaper to mass-produce and easier to transport and distribute. They are also more convenient for patients to take, particularly those with a needle phobia.

Small molecule drugs are typically easier to produce than large molecule ones, meaning orforglipron may not face the same global supply constraints that have plagued weight loss drugs.

Orforglipron has been developed and trialled for treatment of both Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Weight loss is highly effective for improving blood sugar control and can help Type 2 diabetes sufferers put their condition into remission.

Around 5.8million people are thought to be living with diabetes in the UK, and 90% have Type 2, which is often linked to lifestyle factors. Having a wide range of treatment options available is key to turning the tide against the condition, experts have said.

Lilly has submitted data to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on the drug’s safety and effectiveness for both weight loss and Type 2 diabetes.

If approved, the drug will be assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which decides whether medicines are cost-effective for use on the NHS.

It then usually takes around three months for the NHS to issue and implement guidance on rolling out a new medication.

Some online pharmacies have already started listing the drug as “coming soon” in anticipation of the green light. However, it is likely to be available in 2027 at the earliest.