Up to 12% weight loss
GLP-1
Orforglipron
Foundayo (orforglipron)
A once-daily tablet for weight management in adults
No injections, and no food or drink timing rules
Works by mimicking GLP-1, a natural appetite hormone
Used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity
Not yet licensed in the UK, currently under MHRA review
Foundayo (orforglipron)
Coming soon
Coming soon
Understanding Foundayo (orforglipron)
Oral tablet
Up to 12% weight loss
GLP-1 | orforglipron
Most GLP-1 medicines like semaglutide and tirzepatide are peptides, short protein chains that are broken down by stomach acid, which is why they're usually given by injection. Orforglipron is a small-molecule, non-peptide drug, which survives digestion intact and can be taken as a tablet. It can be taken at any time of day with or without food.
What is orforglipron (Foundayo)?
Who is it for?
When Foundayo is not suitable
How does Foundayo work?
Is Foundayo (orforglipron) available in the UK?
How UK approval works
How effective is Foundayo (orforglipron)?
Results vary from person to person. How much weight you lose depends on your dose, how consistently you take the medicine, and the diet and activity changes you make alongside it. Orforglipron is a treatment aid used alongside lifestyle change, not a replacement for it.
What is the Foundayo dose schedule?
Foundayo (orforglipron) is taken once a day as a tablet. It is started at a low dose and increased gradually in steps, each lasting at least 30 days (also known as “titration”) to help reduce side effects, until you reach the maintenance dose your prescriber sets.
Foundayo is available in the US and comes in six tablet strengths: 0.8mg, 2.5mg, 5.5mg, 9mg, 14.5mg, with 17.2 mg the maximum.
A typical schedule starts at 0.8 mg for at least 30 days, then steps up to 2.5 mg and 5.5 mg, after which the prescriber may move to 9 mg, 14.5 mg or 17.2 mg depending on response and tolerability. Not everyone needs the highest dose.
Always follow your prescriber's instructions.
Any dose schedule shown here is a general guide. Your own dose, and how quickly it increases, will be set by your prescriber based on your individual response and tolerability.
UK dosing, if approved, is likely to follow a similar structure, though this has not been confirmed.
Side effects
Side effects of orforglipron
Managing side effects
Seek urgent medical advice if you have: severe or persistent abdominal pain (possible pancreatitis), signs of dehydration, or an allergic reaction.
How Foundayo compares to Mounjaro and Wegovy
Is orforglipron the same as Mounjaro?
Mounjaro
KwikPen
Active ingredient: Tirzepatide
Dual action: GLP-1 and GIP
Weekly injection
Foundayo
(Orforglipron)
Active ingredient: Orforglipron
Single action: GIP
Daily tablet
Orforglipron is sometimes called "the Mounjaro pill", but orforglipron and Mounjaro are different medicines, even though both come from the same manufacturer. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro is a weekly injection; orforglipron is a daily tablet.
Mounjaro's active ingredient is tirzepatide, which activates both GLP-1 and GIP hormone receptors. Orforglipron activates GLP-1 only. This dual action is generally why Mounjaro has shown greater average weight loss in trials than orforglipron has so far. Orforglipron's trade-off is its format: a daily tablet that removed the need for a weekly injection, which is the feature many patients are watching closely.
Foundayo vs Wegovy tablets
Compared with the Wegovy tablet, both are oral GLP-1 medicines, but the Wegovy tablet is peptide-based and must be taken on an empty stomach with a small sip of plain water, followed by a 30-minute wait before eating, drinking or taking other medicines. Orforglipron does not require those rules and can be taken at any time of day, with or without food. Their dose schedules also differ.
Which is right for you?
Mounjaro's active ingredient is tirzepatide, which activates both GLP-1 and GIP hormone receptors. Orforglipron activates GLP-1 only. This dual action is generally why Mounjaro has shown greater average weight loss in trials than orforglipron has so far. Orforglipron's trade-off is its format: a daily tablet that removed the need for a weekly injection, which is the feature many patients are watching closely.
Switching from Wegovy or Mounjaro to Foundayo
If orforglipron is approved in the UK, some patients already using an injectable GLP-1 medicine may consider switching to a tablet for convenience.
These medicines work differently from one another, so any switch needs medical guidance from the team at Phlo Clinic. Switching incorrectly can increase the risk of side effects or reduce how well treatment works.
If you're already on Wegovy or Mounjaro and thinking ahead to an oral option, our guide on GLP-1 washout period covers the general principles that would also apply here. A prescriber-led transition is essential, and should never be self-managed.
How much will Foundayo (orforglipron) cost in the UK?
UK pricing has not been set, because the medicine is not licensed here yet. Pricing will depend on Eli Lilly's UK list price once approval is granted.
Foundayo (Orforglipron) FAQs
Is Foundayo the same as orforglipron?
Can I order Foundayo from the US and have it shipped to the UK?
Will orforglipron be available on the NHS?
How does orforglipron compare to Mounjaro?
What are the side effects of orforglipron?
When will orforglipron launch in the UK?
References
Wharton S, Aronne LJ, Stefanski A, et al. Orforglipron, an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist for obesity treatment. N Engl J Med. 2025;393(19):1796-806. (ATTAIN-1)
Wharton S, Blevins T, Connery L, et al. Daily oral GLP-1 receptor agonist orforglipron for adults with obesity. N Engl J Med. 2023;389:877-888. (Phase 2)
Eli Lilly and Company. FDA approves Lilly's Foundayo™ (orforglipron). Investor news release, April 2026.
UK Parliament, House of Commons Library. Deciding which medicines are used in the NHS.
MHRA / NICE — official guidance on medicines licensing and technology appraisal (gov.uk / nice.org.uk).
Reviewed by:
Last reviewed:
July 30, 2026
Next review:
July 30, 2027
How can we help