Eli Lilly announced on August 24, 2026, the launch of its oral pill, Foundayo, in the UK for weight management and type 2 diabetes. This makes the UK the first country in Europe where the treatment is available, following authorization by Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on August 10. Foundayo, known chemically as orforglipron, is the second GLP-1 oral pill cleared in the UK, after Novo Nordisk's Wegovy.
Foundayo will initially be available via private prescription. Eli Lilly is collaborating with England's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for a potential rollout through the state-run National Health Service (NHS). The company indicated that Foundayo's private pricing would likely range between £100 and £120, which is significantly lower than its Mounjaro injection's £330 for a month's supply. The drug is currently under review in the European Union.
The MHRA authorized orforglipron for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI between 27 and 30 with at least one weight-related comorbidity, and for improving glycemic control in patients with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes. It is a once-daily tablet, which can be taken at any time with no food or water restrictions, a key differentiator from Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill, which requires an empty stomach. Treatment begins at 0.8 mg and escalates through several dose levels, with common side effects including nausea, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, dyspepsia, and abdominal pain.
Lilly aims to compete with Novo Nordisk in the oral weight-loss market. Foundayo launched in the U.S. in April 2026 and generated $98 million in sales during the second quarter. While Foundayo's weight-loss benefits may be less than some other treatments, experts like Dr. Simon Cork note that patients can still expect "significant, clinically meaningful changes to their weight." The convenience and potentially lower cost are seen as major advantages, with experts suggesting it could help patients maintain weight loss after discontinuing injectable treatments.
