The United Kingdom has become the first country in Europe to approve a new once-daily pill for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, offering patients a simpler alternative to injectable treatments. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorised orforglipron, marketed as Foundayo, for adults with obesity or weight-related health conditions.
The medication is approved for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, or those with a BMI between 27 and 30 who also have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. It can also be prescribed to help control blood sugar in people with poorly managed type 2 diabetes. Unlike many existing GLP-1 treatments that require injections, Foundayo is taken as a tablet, which experts say could make treatment more accessible and appealing.
Julian Beach, executive director of healthcare quality and access at the MHRA, said the approval followed a rigorous assessment of the drug's safety, quality, and effectiveness. He noted that, like all GLP-1 receptor agonists, Foundayo is prescription-only and will remain under close review for any emerging safety concerns. The approval marks a significant step, as the UK becomes the first European regulator to clear this particular pill for both weight management and diabetes control.
What This Means for Patients
Dr Simon Cork, senior lecturer in physiology at Anglia Ruskin University, called the approval a big step forward in obesity treatment. He highlighted three key advantages: the drug is authorised for people at lower body weights than some other weight loss medications, making it available to a broader group; it is likely to be cheaper than current injectable options due to lower manufacturing costs; and the active compound is less expensive to produce than those in injectable GLP-1 drugs or oral semaglutide.
Professor Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, added that the pill provides another oral option for patients who are reluctant to use injections or who may not need the maximum weight loss achieved by the strongest injectable drugs. He also noted a practical benefit: unlike oral semaglutide, which must be taken on an empty stomach, Foundayo can be taken at any time of day, simplifying daily routines for many people.
The drug is not yet available on the NHS. It must first be evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), which will determine whether it offers good value for public funding. This approval follows the MHRA's earlier authorisation of the first GLP-1 pill for weight loss, an oral form of Wegovy, in June, signalling a broader shift toward non-injectable obesity treatments.
For now, Foundayo represents a promising expansion of options for the millions of people living with obesity and type 2 diabetes in the UK. As Nice reviews the evidence, experts remain cautiously optimistic that this cheaper, convenient pill could soon reach patients through the health service, offering renewed hope for those who have struggled with injectable therapies or who need a more flexible treatment approach.