A new pill for obesity offers a major reduction in injections without injections

The results of this historical test are particularly significant, as oral therapies for obesity could improve access and affordability of treatment; In addition, many patients prefer oral drugs to injectable.

New results presented in the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Vienna, Austria (September 15-19) and published in the New England Journal of Medicine Note that a daily GLP-1 agonist diet once a day or Forglipron leads to significant weight loss in people with obesity that have no type 2 diabetes.

Research was carried out by Dr. Sean Wharton of McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, and Wharton Weight Management Clinic, Burlington, ON, Canada, with a team of collaborators. The trial was funded by Eli Lilly, who manufactures Orforglipron.

OrForglipron is an agonist receiver of the peptide-1 with small oral glucagon type molecule (GLP-1). In this phase 3, multinational, randomized and double blind test, investigators evaluated the safety and efficiency of Orforglipron once a day at 6 mg, 12 mg or 36 mg against placebo (allocated in a report 3: 3: 3: 4) alongside advice on healthy food and physical activity over 72 weeks. All participants had obesity and had no diabetes. The main evaluation criterion was the percentage of body weight variation from the base line to week 72.

Key results

In total, 3,127 participants from 9 countries / jurisdictions (United States, China, Brazil, India, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Slovakia and Taiwan) were randomized. At week 72, the average weight change compared to the basic line was -7.5% with 6 mg orforglipron, −8.4% with 12 mg and −11.2% with 36 mg, against -2.1% in the placebo group.

In the group of 36 mg, 54.6% of participants reduced their body weight by at least 10%, 36.0% reached a reduction of at least 15% and 18.4% reached a reduction of at least 20%. In the placebo group, the corresponding proportions were 12.9%, 5.9%and 2.8%respectively.

Other results such as the waist, systolic blood pressure, triglyceride levels and non -HDL cholesterol levels have improved considerably with the treatment of Orglipron. Adverse events led to stopping treatment in 5.3% to 10.3% of patients in Orforglipron groups and 2.7% of those in the placebo group. The most common adverse events with Orforglipron were gastrointestinal effects, which were mainly light to moderate, in accordance with the GLP-1 class of drugs.

Comparison with other GLP-1 drugs

The authors note that the use of drugs such as GLP-1 receptor agonists (such as semaglutide) would cause an average weight reduction of approximately 15% to more than 20% and have shown additional health benefits, including a decreased cardiovascular risk. However, most drug-based drugs available are administered as a subcutaneous injection, which can limit the initiation of treatment and membership.

The authors say: “After 72 weeks of treatment, all the patients of the three Orforglipron groups have had a significant reduction in the significant and clinically significant dose. Compared to placebo… a weight reduction of 10% or more is a recognized therapeutic threshold, the one that has been linked to significant cardiometabolic advantages. Protein – A marker of systemic inflammation. »»

Future forces, limitations and implications

The authors note that the limits of the trial include lack of comparison with obesity management drugs currently approved, the use of cuts for BMI The inclusion criteria that have been developed in white populations and which exclude patients with lower BMI values ​​which may also have adiposity risks, and the growing availability of obesity management drugs, which could have an effect on treatment for treatment and the results of efficiency. The strengths of the test include a very diverse and large population of nine countries and jurisdictions on four continents – including more than 35% of men’s registration.

They conclude: “In patients with obesity, the use of Orforglipron has resulted in statistically and clinically significant weight reductions and an unfavorable event profile that was in accordance with the results of other GLP-1 receptors.”

Dr. Wharton adds: “This could mean an expansion of obesity interventions to groups that are currently excluded due to the cost and lack of access to injectable drugs.”

Reference: “Gonist of the GLP-1 receptor of the GLP-1 oral receptor for the treatment of the GLP-1 receiver for the treatment of obetinity” by Sean Wharton, Louis J. Aronne, Adam Stefanski, Nasreen F. Alfaris, Andreea Cedaron, Alpanaro Yokodo Chunmei Zhou, Lisa Macpherson, Sheryl. Klise, September 15, 2025, New England Journal of Medicine.
DOI: 10.1056 / Nejmoa2511774

Orforglipron is not yet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or other similar agencies in the world.

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