Foundayo (Orforglipron)

Foundayo (Orforglipron)

• – In US clinical trials it was taken as a once-daily pill for weight loss that can be taken at any time of day, without food or water restrictions.
• – Results from clinical trials have shown pill may help to lose up to 11% body weight on average.
• – Foundayo is not currently licensed in the UK. Any pharmacy currently offering this for sale is potentially unsafe and should not be used.

Foundayo explained

Foundayo is a once daily, prescription only weight loss tablet. It contains the active ingredient orforglipron, a small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, that saw sustainable weight loss in clinical trial participants when combined with healthy lifestyle changes.  

In April 2026, Foundayo was approved in the United States for the treatment of obesity. The manufacturer, Eli Lilly, is also planning to submit the medication for approval in the treatment of type 2 diabetes on its own in the near future.

Importantly, it has not yet been approved for use in the UK, as it is currently under review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

If approved, it may be available privately in late 2026, but not without an online consultation with a healthcare professional (once requirements have been confirmed).

How does it work?

Foundayo contains the medication orforglipron, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. These treatments work by mimicking the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone. This means it can help in:

• – regulating appetite
• – slowing digestion
• – delays gastric emptying

The combination of these mechanisms is what can make Foundayo an effective treatment for weight loss.

Is it safe?

After Foundayo’s initial approval in the US, the Food and Drugs Administration requested more information about the safety profile of the drug, to which Eli Lilly responded by releasing the ACHIEVE-4 trial, the longest Phase 3 study for the drug.

This study showed that Foundayo has a good safety profile consistent with other GLP-1 class medicines.

Foundayo availability

Foundayo is not currently available in the UK. While it has been approved for weight management in the United States, it is still under review by the MHRA.

If the medicine is approved, it could become available in the UK later this year, although timelines can change as the review process continues.

Any decision on approval and availability will depend on how the MHRA assesses the treatment’s safety, effectiveness, and overall benefit for patients.

Foundayo dosing schedule

Like other GLP-1s, in clinical trials, Foundayo required those taking it to gradually increase their dosage before reaching the maximum dose. This is called titration and is done to let your body get used to the medicine, reducing the likelihood and severity of any potential side effects.

We can’t confirm what the dosing schedule would look like in the UK as it has not yet been approved. However, the doses that have been approved for use in the US are:

• – 0.8mg
• – 2.5mg
• – 5.5mg
• – 9.0mg
• – 14.5mg
• – 17.2mg

Weight loss on Foundayo

In clinical studies, Foundayo has been shown to help people lose a meaningful amount of weight. At around 72 weeks, people taking lower doses lost around 7–8% of their body weight, while those on the highest dose lost just over 11% on average.

This compared with around 2% weight loss in people taking a placebo, a lookalike tablet with no active medicine.

Average weight loss (%)	Daily dose
Placebo	2.1%
Foundayo 5.5 mg	7.4%
Foundayo 9 mg	8.3%
Foundayo 17.2 mg	11.1%

Weight loss from clinical trials across weight loss treatments

	Foundayo	Wegovy Tablets	Mounjaro	Wegovy Injections	Xenical
Weight loss shown in clinical trials	7-11%	14%	22.5%	21%	5-10%
Manufacturer	Eli Lilly	Novo Nordisk	Eil Lilly	Novo Nordisk	Roche
Active ingredients	Orforglipron	Semaglutide	Tirzepatide	Semaglutide	Orlistat

Key findings from Foundayo clinical trials

• – Provides average weight loss of 7-11%.
• – Unlike other weight loss tablets, there are not restrictions when you can take Foundayo.
• – Foundayo doesn’t need to be taken with food or water.
• – Suitable for people who are uncomfortable with, or cannot use, needles or injections like Mounjaro or Wegovy.

Foundayo price

It’s not possible to say how much Foundayo will cost, as the MHRA have not yet approved it for use in the UK. Not only this, but multiple factors can impact the cost of a medication, including availability, and the market price set by the manufacturer.

Potential Foundayo (orforglipron) side effects

Like any medication, taking Foundayo has a chance to cause side effects – though not everyone who takes the medication will experience these symptoms.

The ACHIEVE-4 study reported that the most common side effects of Foundayo are:

• – nausea
• – vomiting
• – diarrhoea
• – constipation
• – indigestion

When to seek medical help

The guidance currently surrounding Foundayo is that you should speak to a healthcare professional if you have any side effects that bother you or that do not go away.

Additionally, Foundayo might cause serious side effects in some. A healthcare provider should be contacted if any of the following occur:

• – pancreatitis (symptoms include severe pain in your stomach/abdomen that will not go away)
• – hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)
• – changes in vision for those with type 2 diabetes
• – gallbladder problems (symptoms include pain in the abdomen, fever and yellowing of skin or eyes)

Importantly, if there any symptoms of an allergic reaction then the medical help should be got immediately. If you are ever having a severe allergic reaction then you should call 999, and you should not drive yourself to a hospital.

Warnings

The current warnings and guidelines surrounding Foundayo suggest that people with the following should not take this medicine:

• – a personal, or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
• – a severe liver impairment (Child-Pugh Class C)
• – an allergy to orforglipron, or any of the ingredients in Foundayo.

Additionally, it’s suggested that Foundayo may reduce how well birth control pills work, so US guidelines recommend using another type of birth control for 30 days after starting treatment and for 30 days after any dose increase.

As Foundayo is not currently approved for use in the UK and has not been reviewed by the MHRA, any guidance may differ if it is approved in the future.

Storage information

In clinical trials Foundayo is recommended be stored at room temperature between 20°C to 25°C, meaning it does not need to be refrigerated, unlike Eli Lilly’s other GLP-1 weight loss treatment Mounjaro.

It should be kept in a cool, dry place and kept in the original bottle and carton to protect it from light. Always close the cap after opening and keep out of site and reach of children.

Frequently asked questions about Foundayo

Is Foundayo the same as orforglipron?

Yes, Foundayo is the brand name used for orforglipron, the active ingredient in the treatment. Both names refer to the same once‑daily oral GLP‑1 medicine.

Is Foundayo a GLP-1?

Yes. Foundayo contains the active ingredient orforglipron, a small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist. This means it can help regulate your blood sugar, digestion and appetite.

How often do you need to take Foundayo?

Currently, as it is approved in the US, Foundayo is to be taken once a day. Unlike other oral weight loss treatments, it can be taken at any time of day with or without food or water.

Sources

• – What is Foundayo (2026). Eli Lilly. [Accessed 21 April 2026]
• – Foundayo Weight Loss Pill (2026). Drugs.com. [Accessed 21 April 2026]
• – ACHIEVE-4, the longest Phase 3 study of Lilly’s Foundayo (2026). PRN. [Accessed 21 April 2026]
• – Orforglipron, an Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1 Receptor Agonist for Obesity Treatment (2025). PubMed. [Accessed 21 April 2026]
• – How do you get Foundayo? (2026). Drugs.com. [Accessed 22 April 2026]
• – Managing Possible Side Effects (2026). Eli Lilly. [Accessed 22 April 2026]