Eli Lilly's oral weight-loss pill shows promise amid pharma shakeup

In a detailed feature by TIME Magazine, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly has unveiled promising early results from clinical trials of its experimental oral drug orforglipron, a GLP-1-based treatment for diabetes and weight loss. The development marks a potentially transformative moment for both the company and the obesity-treatment landscape.

The data, presented during a critical meeting at Lilly's Indianapolis headquarters on April 15, showed that orforglipron lowered blood sugar levels and aided weight loss without serious side effects like liver toxicity—an issue that recently led Pfizer to abandon its own oral drug in the same category. Orforglipron’s results were comparable to Lilly’s injectable blockbuster tirzepatide (Mounjaro).

If approved by the FDA, orforglipron could become the first oral GLP-1 drug for weight loss on the market. Unlike competing drugs, it requires no dietary restrictions or timing constraints and is easier and cheaper to manufacture and distribute—especially in areas where injectables are impractical.

Lilly’s CEO David Ricks and Chief Scientific Officer Dr Dan Skovronsky credited the company’s agile approach, culture shift, and high-speed innovation for the drug's progress. The pill was licensed from Japan’s Chugai in 2018 and developed 30–40% faster than industry averages, according to Ricks.

The company is investing heavily in domestic production, anticipating a surge in demand. Trials are ongoing to evaluate orforglipron's effectiveness in non-diabetic obesity and other conditions like hypertension. If successful, the drug could dramatically expand access to obesity treatments and redefine the market.

This effort is part of Lilly’s broader push to break industry norms, including direct-to-consumer models like Lilly Direct, which bypass intermediaries to lower costs. With additional breakthroughs like the Alzheimer’s drug Kisunla, Lilly is now the world’s most valuable pharma firm—and possibly the first on track to a $1 trillion valuation.