The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly's oral weight-loss pill Foundayo for market on April 1, 2026. The drug, whose generic name is orforglipron, is intended for adults with obesity, who are overweight, or who have weight-related health conditions.

Foundayo can be taken at any time of day without food or water restrictions, according to Lilly. Most GLP-1 medications have been available as injections rather than pills, and previous oral options carried stricter dosing requirements. Novo Nordisk received FDA approval in 2019 for Rybelsus, the first oral semaglutide pill for type 2 diabetes treatment, but that medication must be taken each morning with a small amount of water on an empty stomach.

GLP-1 medications were initially intended to treat type 2 diabetes and have since been used to treat various obesity-related conditions. Drugs such as Zepbound and Wegovy became available for weight-loss treatment in the early 2020s, and Novo Nordisk's oral Wegovy became available for weight loss in early 2026. Novo Nordisk also plans to soon release a pill form of Ozempic.

In a Lilly-funded trial published by The Lancet, patients on 7 to 14 milligrams of Rybelsus lost an average of between 8 and 11 pounds, while patients on 12 to 36 milligrams of orforglipron lost an average of between 15 and 20 pounds. "Lilly's pill outperformed Novo's on every key endpoint we measured, including A1C and weight loss," said lead trial investigator Dr. Julio Rosenstock. In a separate report, adults who took Foundayo lost an average of 27 pounds on the highest dose, according to Lilly.

In clinical trials, however, participants on Foundayo experienced more side effects and were less likely to continue the medication compared to participants using Rybelsus, according to Lilly trial results. Common side effects include nausea, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion, abdominal pain, headache, bloating, fatigue, and hair loss, according to Lilly. Inflammation of the pancreas, dehydration, severe stomach problems, and allergic reactions are possible but rare side effects. Lilly advised patients to take Foundayo under the supervision of a medical provider, to take only one pill a day, and to avoid simultaneous use with other GLP-1 medications.

Lilly said the highest dose of Foundayo will cost $349 for Americans, while the lowest dose will cost $149 with self-pay or $25 with commercial insurance and a Foundayo savings card. Medicare Part D enrollees may be able to obtain the drug for $50 per month as soon as July 1, 2026, according to Lilly. Oral Wegovy costs $299 at the high dose. An April 1 report from UBS Investment Bank said the direct-to-consumer market is expected to be the largest channel for consumers to obtain Foundayo. LillyDirect, the company's self-pay platform, partners with Walmart, Amazon, and the telehealth company Ro.

A GoodRx analysis found that the number of Americans without coverage for Zepbound increased by 12 percent from 2025 to 2026, with over 16 million people with private insurance lacking coverage for GLP-1 medications for weight loss in 2026. The findings point to ongoing gaps in insurance coverage as new oral GLP-1 drugs reach the market.