Lilly's Orforglipron Shows Greater Weight Loss and A1C Reduction Than Oral Semaglutide in Type 2 Diabetes

Eli Lilly and Company has released new analysis results suggesting that its oral medication, orforglipron (Foundayo), at a 17.2 mg dose, led to greater weight loss and improved blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes when compared to oral semaglutide 25 mg. The findings stem from an indirect treatment comparison that utilized data from the ACHIEVE-3 and PIONEER PLUS studies. The analysis indicated that orforglipron 17.2 mg resulted in an average 1.5% greater weight loss and a 0.3% greater reduction in A1C levels over 52 weeks compared to oral semaglutide 25 mg.

The new data were presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy. These results build upon earlier findings from the head-to-head ACHIEVE-3 study, where orforglipron 9 mg and 17.2 mg demonstrated greater A1C and weight reductions compared to oral semaglutide 14 mg. Researchers noted that while head-to-head trials provide the most definitive comparisons, indirect comparisons can offer informative insights into the relative efficacy of medications.

Orforglipron is a once-daily oral small molecule glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It is approved for the treatment of obesity and is being investigated for type 2 diabetes, among other conditions. Lilly highlighted that the drug's administration convenience, without fasting or water restrictions, positions it as a potentially foundational therapy for individuals managing type 2 diabetes.

Eli Lilly is committed to advancing treatments for diabetes and obesity. The company's comprehensive clinical development program, including the ACHIEVE trials, aims to provide further data on orforglipron's efficacy and safety across diverse patient populations.