Orforglipron comes out as winner in Ozempic and Wegovy battle with UK roll-out explained
There's a new kid on the block in the increasingly competitive world of weight-loss medication.
'Fat jabs' have become massively popular in the last couple of years, with over a million Brits alone making use of the medication to lose weight.
GLP-1 medication mimics the hormone GLP-1, which is released after eating and tells the brain your hunger has been satiated.
Though some people have suffered severe side effects from taking drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, they have helped people combat obesity and diabetes, as well as undergo remarkable body transformations.
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One drawback for the needle phobics amongst us, though, is that the drugs have to be administered with injections.
Well, that was until earlier this week when the first pill form of the medication Wegovy was finally made available in the United Kingdom.
Pharmacies expected huge demand for the tablet version when it released on Monday, but there could be a new, even more efficient version on the way soon, and it's called orforglipron.
Orforglipron found to be more efficient but there's a catch...
As reported by Science Daily, orforglipron has been found to be more effective for weight loss and blood sugar control than the drugs currently available on the market.
Involving 1,698 adults with type 2 diabetes from six countries, the 52-week phase 3 trial compared people taking orforglipron with oral semaglutide products, the generic name for Ozempic and Wegovy.
Success was measured by a reduction in HbA1c, which is how blood sugar levels are indicated.
A person has diabetes if their HbA1c is 6.5 per cent or more.
From a baseline HbA1c of 8.3 per cent, the study found that orforglipron reduced it by 1.71-1.91 per cent, compared to just 1.47 per cent from semaglutide.
In even better news, it also proved to be superior in aiding weight loss, with an average loss of 6.1kg-8.2kg compared to 5.3kg for those taking semaglutide.
However, there was a pretty sizeable catch, as the better results come at a cost.
The study also found that 59 per cent of participants taking orforglipron suffered side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation, compared to just 37-45 per cent of those on semaglutide.
As a result, only 4-5 per cent of people taking semaglutide stopped the treatment due to the side effects, whereas 10 per cent on orforglipron couldn't go on.
It's added that orforglipron trials with patients who have obesity but not diabetes are ongoing.
When will orforglipron be available in the UK?
There's certainly a clamour for weight loss pills in the UK, but when will orforglipron be available in the country?
Well, it might not be too long.
Like the Wegovy pill, orforglipron, under its brand name Foundayo, is already available in the United States of America after it was approved by the FDA in April 2026.
Eli Lilly, the manufacturers of the drug, have already made moves to get it approved in the UK, though, having submitted it for review with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Oxford Online Pharmacy reports, if approved, it could be available privately by the end of 2026, though it will take longer to be available on the NHS.
It's said it likely won't be available until 2027 at the earliest, as it will have go through a further review.
Daniel Murphy