Lilly’s Oral GLP-1 Pill Cuts Blood Sugar More Than Standard Drugs in Late-Stage Trials

Eli Lilly’s experimental oral GLP-1 drug orforglipron delivered strong blood sugar control in two late-stage trials, showing greater reductions in A1C than rival therapies and promising added weight loss benefits. 

In head-to-head comparisons, orforglipron reduced A1C by up to 1.7%, outperforming AstraZeneca’s dapagliflozin (0.8%) in patients already on metformin.  When combined with insulin glargine, the pill achieved up to 2.1% A1C reduction in a second trial.  Across both trials, participants also lost weight and saw improvements in cardiovascular risk markers over 40 weeks. 

Lilly says these results strengthen orforglipron’s case as a next-generation oral diabetes treatment. The company plans to seek regulatory approval for diabetes in 2026, with obesity treatment submissions targeted by end of 2025.  With competition heating up in the GLP-1 space, an effective oral drug could shift dynamics away from current injectable leaders.