FDA approves Eli Lilly's GLP-1 weight-loss pill Foundayo

April 1 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Eli Lilly's pill version of a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, making it the second company to offer a non-injectable version of the drug.

The orforglipron medication, which will be sold under the brand name Foundayo, joins Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill as the only two oral GLP-1 medications to have FDA approval.

Eli Lilly also manufactures the injectable Zepound and Mounjaro GLP-1 medications and Novo Nordisk makes Wegovy and Ozempic. Eli Lilly said Foundayo differs from the Wegovy pill in that there are no restrictions on when the pill can be taken.

The Wegovy pill must be taken in the morning 30 minutes before eating or drinking.

Deborah Horn, director of the Center for Obesity Medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, said the oral medication offers patients "greater flexibility in how they approach their treatment.

" Clinical trials of Foundayo released in September found that people on a 36 mg dose of the drug lost an average of 11% of their body weight, 8% on 12 mg and less than 8% on 6 mg.

About 55% of patients in the 36 mg dose group lost 10% or more of their body weight; 36% had a reduction of 15% or more; and 18% had a reduction of 20% or more.

Eli Lilly said Foundayo will be available beginning April 6 with copays as low as $25 for people with commercial insurance and an out-of-pocket cost of up to $349 for the higher doses, CNN reported.