The FDA has approved Foundayo, an oral GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug from Eli Lilly, giving people who prefer pills an alternative to injectable therapies. Foundayo is the second oral GLP‑1 approved for weight management and the first that does not require users to take it on an empty stomach, a change Lilly says should make the medicine easier to incorporate into daily routines.
In a large clinical trial, participants taking Foundayo lost an average of about 7.5% of body weight on the lowest dose and about 11.2% on the highest dose. For context, currently available injectable GLP‑1 medications have produced average weight reductions in the roughly 15%–20% range. Gastrointestinal side effects were common in the Foundayo trials; about 10% of people on the highest dose stopped treatment because of side effects.
Lilly’s chief scientific officer, Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, said the pill could help broaden access to obesity treatment by reaching patients who have not used or did not want injectable options. Lilly plans to begin shipping Foundayo on April 6.
Lilly’s announced pricing aligns the pill with other GLP‑1 products: uninsured patients’ out‑of‑pocket monthly costs will start at about $149 and can go up to $349 depending on dose; Medicare beneficiaries may pay roughly $50 per month; and eligible insured patients could pay as little as $25 per month.
A significant limitation of GLP‑1 therapies remains that many people regain weight after stopping treatment, highlighting questions about long‑term approaches to preventing obesity and the financial implications of treating large populations with expensive medications.
Reported by Dr. Jon LaPook, CBS News, from New York.