Britain leads Europe by approving Eli Lilly’s orforglipron, the first oral GLP-1 tablet for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, marking a significant step in obesity and diabetes treatment.
The UK’s medicines regulator has authorised Eli Lilly’s orforglipron, a once-daily GLP-1 tablet sold as Foundayo, making Britain the first country in Europe to approve the oral treatment for both weight management and type 2 diabetes. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said the medicine can be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity in adults with obesity, or in adults who are overweight and have at least one weight-related health problem.
The approval gives the tablet a dual role. For weight management, it is authorised for people with a body mass index of 30 or above, or a BMI between 27 and 30 when another weight-related condition is present. It is also authorised to improve blood-sugar control in adults whose type 2 diabetes is not sufficiently controlled.
Julian Beach, the MHRA’s executive director of healthcare quality and access, said the agency had completed a rigorous assessment of the drug’s safety, quality and effectiveness. He added that, as with all GLP-1 receptor agonists, it will remain prescription-only and will be kept under close safety review. The regulator says the most common side effects include nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, indigestion and abdominal pain.
The decision comes after a string of recent developments around oral weight-loss drugs. In June, the MHRA approved semaglutide as the first GLP-1 tablet for weight loss in the UK, while a paediatric investigation plan for orforglipron was agreed in December 2025. The new medicine is not yet available through the NHS, and any routine public funding decision will be made later through the usual assessment process, including review by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
