Orforglipron

Pronunciation: or-for-GLIP-ron.

Generic name
orforglipron
Drug class
GLP-1 receptor agonist (oral, non-peptide, small molecule)
Form
Tablet (0.8 mg, 2.5 mg, 5.5 mg, 9 mg, 14.5 mg, 17.2 mg)
Route
Oral
Legal status
Prescription-only

Availability and supply rules vary by country

Trade names by country: United States

Australia: · Full directory

What orforglipron is and how it works

Orforglipron (Foundayo) is a prescription-only oral GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for long-term weight management. It is taken as a once-daily tablet and is the first oral GLP-1 medicine that does not need to be taken on an empty stomach or with a specific amount of water. (1)

Foundayo is used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. It is a specialist/prescriber-directed medicine with a real risk of thyroid tumors in rodent studies and several other serious warnings -- do not start, stop, or change the dose without your prescriber's guidance.

Mechanism of action: how orforglipron works

Orforglipron is a non-peptide, small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist. Unlike peptide-based oral or injectable GLP-1 medicines, its small-molecule structure allows administration without fasting or water-volume restrictions. (1)

What orforglipron is used for

Chronic weight management

Used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to reduce excess body weight and help keep it off long term, in adults with obesity, or adults who are overweight with at least one weight-related medical condition (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol). (1)

Before taking orforglipron

Do not take / not appropriate for

  • Do not take Foundayo if you or anyone in your family has ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma (a type of thyroid cancer) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). (all countries) (1)
  • Do not take Foundayo if you have had a serious allergic reaction to orforglipron or any of its ingredients. (all countries) (1)

Tell your clinician about

  • Any personal or family history of thyroid cancer or MEN 2.
  • A history of pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, or diabetic eye disease (retinopathy).
  • Diabetes and the other medicines you take for it, especially insulin or sulfonylureas.
  • Kidney problems, or any illness causing vomiting, diarrhoea, or reduced fluid intake.
  • Severe stomach/digestive problems, including slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis).
  • Any other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine you are taking -- Foundayo should not be combined with another GLP-1 medicine.
  • All other medicines, including simvastatin and oral contraceptives.
  • Pregnancy, plans for pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
  • Any upcoming surgery or procedure requiring sedation or anaesthesia.
(1)

How to take orforglipron

  • Take Foundayo exactly as your prescriber directs -- once daily, with or without food.
  • Swallow the tablet whole. Do not break, crush, or chew it.
  • Your prescriber will start you on a low dose and increase it gradually over several months based on how you respond and tolerate it -- do not change your own dose.
(1)

Procedures and treatment changes

Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1) (2) (3)

Missed dose

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but do not take a double dose to make up for it. If you miss 7 or more doses in a row, contact your prescriber before restarting -- treatment is usually restarted at a lower dose to reduce the risk of stomach-related side effects.

Overdose

Seek urgent medical attention or contact your prescriber immediately if too much Foundayo has been taken, especially if you develop severe nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain. (1)

Side effects

Side effects and their urgency vary; report severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms.

Nausea (very common, affecting roughly a quarter to a third of people).

What to notice: Nausea (very common, affecting roughly a quarter to a third of people).

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Constipation, diarrhoea, and vomiting.

What to notice: Constipation, diarrhoea, and vomiting.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Indigestion, stomach pain, bloating, belching, heartburn, and gas.

What to notice: Indigestion, stomach pain, bloating, belching, heartburn, and gas.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Headache, tiredness, and hair loss.

What to notice: Headache, tiredness, and hair loss.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Serious warnings

Thyroid tumor symptoms (possible medullary thyroid carcinoma) — boxed_warning

Symptoms: A lump or swelling in the neck, hoarseness that does not go away, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath.

Action: Tell your prescriber right away if any of these symptoms occur. Foundayo must not be used by anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. (1)

Signs of acute pancreatitis — emergency

Symptoms: Severe, persistent stomach pain that may spread to the back, with or without nausea and vomiting.

Action: Seek urgent medical attention. Your prescriber will decide whether Foundayo needs to be stopped if pancreatitis is suspected. (1)

Signs of gallbladder problems — high caution

Symptoms: Pain in the upper right side of the stomach, fever, or yellowing of the skin/eyes (jaundice).

Action: Contact your prescriber promptly. Gallbladder disease is more common with the weight loss Foundayo can cause. (1)

Signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) — high caution

Symptoms: Shakiness, sweating, confusion, dizziness, or a fast heartbeat -- particularly if you also take insulin or a sulfonylurea.

Action: Discuss your other diabetes medicines with your prescriber before starting Foundayo, as your other medicine doses may need to be reduced. (1)

Signs of dehydration or reduced kidney function — high caution

Symptoms: Reduced urination, dizziness, or feeling very unwell, especially if you are also vomiting or have diarrhoea.

Action: Contact your prescriber -- fluid loss from stomach side effects can affect kidney function and may need monitoring. (1)

Serious allergic reaction — emergency

Symptoms: Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty breathing; widespread rash or hives.

Action: Seek emergency medical help immediately and stop taking Foundayo; your prescriber will confirm whether it is safe to continue. (1)

Interactions

  • Foundayo slows stomach emptying and can affect how well other oral medicines are absorbed. (1)
  • If you take oral contraceptives, your prescriber may advise switching to a non-oral method of contraception, or adding a barrier method, for 30 days after starting Foundayo and for 30 days after each dose increase. (1)
  • Do not take Foundayo together with another GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine (such as semaglutide or tirzepatide). (1)
  • If you take simvastatin, your prescriber will generally keep your simvastatin dose at 20 mg once daily or lower while you are on Foundayo. (1)
  • Certain medicines that strongly affect drug breakdown (strong CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers, such as some antibiotics, antifungals, or anti-seizure medicines) can change how Foundayo works -- your prescriber may need to adjust your dose. (1)
  • If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea, your prescriber may reduce that medicine's dose when starting Foundayo to lower the risk of low blood sugar. (1)

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age

Pregnancy

Foundayo may cause fetal harm and offers no benefit during pregnancy. If pregnancy is recognised while taking Foundayo, tell your prescriber, who will discuss stopping treatment. A pregnancy registry is available through Eli Lilly (1-800-545-5979). (1) (2) (3)

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking Foundayo -- it has been found in animal milk at higher concentrations than in blood, and effects on a breastfed infant are not known. (1) (2) (3)

Children

Not established as safe/effective in children; approved for use in adults only. (1) (2) (3)

Elderly

No specific dose adjustment based on age alone is described in the source reviewed; dosing follows the standard titration schedule with monitoring. (1) (2) (3)

Hepatic_impairment

Not established in the source reviewed for this dossier. (1) (2) (3)

Renal_impairment

Not specifically described; monitor kidney function during dose initiation and escalation, particularly if experiencing vomiting or diarrhoea. (1) (2) (3)

Source_ids

US-DAILYMED-FOUNDAYO-2026 (1) (2) (3)

Monitoring

Before starting

  • Personal/family history of thyroid cancer or MEN 2
  • History of pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, or diabetic eye disease
  • Current diabetes medicines
  • Pregnancy status and contraception plan

During treatment

  • Watch for thyroid tumor symptoms (neck lump, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, shortness of breath) throughout treatment.
  • Blood sugar monitoring if also taking insulin or a sulfonylurea.
  • Kidney function monitoring during dose initiation and increases, especially if experiencing significant nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea.
  • Monitoring for progression of diabetic eye disease in those with a prior history.
(1)

Storage

Store as directed on the product label supplied with your specific medicine; keep out of the reach of children.

Professional information

Clinician-facing context only, sourced from the current US FDA prescribing information; verify against the current full label before prescribing.

United States

Indication: Chronic weight management

Dose summary: Start 0.8 mg once daily; after >=30 days increase to 2.5 mg once daily; after >=30 days increase to 5.5 mg once daily; after >=30 days may further increase to 9 mg, 14.5 mg, or 17.2 mg once daily based on response/tolerability. Maximum 17.2 mg once daily. With strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, limit to 9 mg once daily maximum. If 7+ consecutive doses are missed, reinitiate dosage escalation at a lower dose.

Renal context: Not established in the source reviewed for this dossier; monitor renal function during initiation/escalation given GI-fluid-loss-related volume depletion risk. (1)

Mechanism of action

Hepatic guidance

Not established in the source reviewed for this dossier.

Overdose note

No specific antidote described in the source reviewed; manage supportively, particularly for GI symptoms, and seek urgent guidance for suspected overdose. (1)

Frequently asked questions

Is Foundayo (orforglipron) available outside the United States?

Not yet, as of this writing. Foundayo was FDA-approved on 1 April 2026 and is currently only available in the United States. The manufacturer has said it is seeking approval in more than 40 other countries, but no other country's approval has been confirmed yet. (1) (2)

Do I need to take Foundayo on an empty stomach or with water restrictions?

No. Foundayo is the first oral GLP-1 medicine that can be taken at any time of day, with or without food, and without special water-timing rules -- unlike some other oral GLP-1 products. (1)

Can I take Foundayo together with Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro?

No. Foundayo should not be combined with another GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine. (1)

What is the mechanism of action of orforglipron?

Orforglipron is a non-peptide, small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist. Unlike peptide-based oral or injectable GLP-1 medicines, its small-molecule structure allows administration without fasting or water-volume restrictions. (1)

What is the generic name of Orforglipron?

The generic name is orforglipron. (1)

What class of drug is orforglipron?

Orforglipron is classed as: GLP-1 receptor agonist (oral, non-peptide, small molecule). (1)

References

  1. FOUNDAYO (orforglipron) tablets -- full prescribing informationU.S. Food and Drug Administration / DailyMed (NIH), full prescribing information, Eli Lilly and Company · United States · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 1
  2. FDA approves Lilly's Foundayo (orforglipron), the only GLP-1 pill for weight loss that can be taken any time of day without food or water restrictionsEli Lilly and Company, investor press release · United States · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 2
  3. Foundayo (orforglipron) UK availability status -- not yet licensedIndependent UK-facing consumer health/weight-loss information sites summarizing Eli Lilly's public regulatory-submission statements · United Kingdom · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 3

Brand names by country

Single-ingredient orforglipron names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.

Priority countries

United States

  • FOUNDAYO17.2 mg, 14.5 mg, 9 mg, 5.5 mg, .8 mg, 2.5 mg · eli lilly and company
View brands in additional countries.