Eli Lilly Foundayo weight loss pill price, side effects, dosage, treatment: When will sales for oral weight-loss drug begin?

Eli Lilly Foundayo weight loss pill has received all-important approval from the U.S. FDA. Wednesday's nod the from the country's apex body sets up its next battle with rival Novo Nordisk for the millions of Americans seeking highly effective GLP-1 medicines. Eli Lilly's newly approved weight-loss pill is expected to generate billions in sales as soon as this year, with analysts betting it will quickly narrow Novo Nordisk's head start in the oral market. Brokerages estimate 2026 sales of $1.5 billion to $2.8 billion of Lilly's orforglipron, branded Foundayo, with the wide range reflecting both an expectation of strong ‌demand and uncertainty ⁠around ⁠the early stages of the launch.

Eli Lilly Foundayo Weight Loss Pill Price, Dosage

The Lilly drug, orforglipron, which will be sold under the brand name Foundayo, is a once-daily oral medication that targets the GLP-1 hormone. Patients taking the drug in trials lost 12 per cent to 15 per cent of their body weight.

Lilly said it will begin selling Foundayo on April ‌6 through its LillyDirect program ⁠at a ⁠cost of $149 per month for the lowest dose for self-pay customers, on par with Novo's pill. Soon after, it will be available through retail pharmacies and telehealth providers, the Indianapolis-based company said.

Lilly CEO ​David Ricks told reporters the pill would be suitable for patients seeking to lose weight or to maintain weight loss, and that the company has submitted the drug ​for approval in over 40 countries.

Foundayo Eli Lilly Weight Loss Pill Side Effects, Treatment

Oral weight-loss drugs are not expected to fully replace injectables, which can deliver greater weight loss, but analysts estimate pills could capture around 20% of the market by 2030. In a 72-week late-stage trial, orforglipron helped overweight people lose about 12% ​of their body weight, ​with weight loss plateauing for most patients. In ⁠a previous 36-week midstage trial, orforglipron was shown to reduce body weight by nearly 15%.

The most commonly reported side effects were mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal issues such as nausea and vomiting.

Foundayo's label comes with a boxed warning - the FDA's most serious label addition - advising of an increased risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. Novo's oral and ​injectable Wegovy carry the same warning. Lilly's pill was granted a voucher under the Commissioner's National Priority voucher program, which aims to fast-track FDA decisions for drugs with critical public health or national security impact. Lilly received the voucher as part of a deal with the Trump administration to lower the prices of its weight-loss medicines for government programs and cash-paying patients.