Library / Weight and metabolic

Orforglipron

Also known as Foundayo, LY3502970

Approved medicine

Not a peptide: an oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist taken as a daily tablet. Included because it is tracked alongside peptide GLP-1 medicines.

Not approved in Australia. Orforglipron is not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Only a prescriber can decide whether a medicine suits you and at what dose. This page is information, not a recommendation.

Background

Orforglipron is a small molecule, not a peptide, discovered by Chugai Pharmaceutical and developed by Eli Lilly. The FDA approved it as Foundayo on 1 April 2026 as a once daily tablet for chronic weight management.

How it is thought to work

It activates the GLP-1 receptor like injected GLP-1 medicines do, reducing appetite and slowing stomach emptying. Because it is not a peptide it survives digestion and can be taken as a tablet without food restrictions.

What is claimed, and the evidence

Claim	Evidence	Notes
Chronic weight management in adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight related condition	Approved use	FDA approved (Foundayo). In ATTAIN-1 (3,127 adults, 72 weeks), weight fell 7.5 to 11.2 per cent depending on dose versus 2.1 per cent with placebo.
Improved waist size, blood pressure and blood fats	Human trials	Secondary results of ATTAIN-1.
Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes	Human trials	Studied in phase 3 trials; not an approved indication on the current US label reviewed.

Side effects

Effect	How often	Notes
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation	Common	Most common label adverse reactions (5 per cent or more).
Indigestion, abdominal pain, bloating, burping, reflux, wind	Common	Listed at 5 per cent or more on the label.
Headache and fatigue	Common	Listed at 5 per cent or more on the label.
Hair loss	Common	Listed at 5 per cent or more on the label.
Stopping treatment because of side effects	Common	5.3 to 10.3 per cent in ATTAIN-1 versus 2.7 per cent with placebo.
Acute pancreatitis Serious	Rare	Label warning; stop if suspected.
Gallbladder disease Serious	Uncommon	Label warning; reported in clinical trials.
Acute kidney injury from dehydration Serious	Rare	Label warning linked to vomiting and diarrhoea.
Serious allergic reactions Serious	Rare	Label warning for the GLP-1 class.
Thyroid C cell tumours Serious	Frequency unknown	Boxed warning for the class; orforglipron is not active in rodents so the rodent signal could not be tested, and human relevance is unknown.

Warnings

Boxed warning: contraindicated with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2.
Label warnings include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, dehydration related kidney injury and aspiration risk under anaesthesia.
Not found on the ARTG; not approved in Australia as of September 2026.

Regulatory status

Australia: Not found on the ARTG (search September 2026). Not specifically listed in the Poisons Standard (June 2026).
United States: FDA approved (Foundayo, 1 April 2026) for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with a weight related condition.

Sources

Also in Weight and metabolic

From the VialOwl library, reviewed 26 September 2026. For education and general information. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation to use Orforglipron.