A daily pill could help people maintain weight loss after they stop taking injectable weight-loss medications, according to new trial data presented at the European Congress on Obesity 2026 in Istanbul and published in Nature Medicine. The study, funded by Eli Lilly, suggests that orforglipron tablets could prevent the need for other long-term medications for diseases associated with obesity.
The large-scale randomised controlled trial followed 376 US patients who had been on tirzepatide (Mounjaro) or semaglutide (Wegovy) injections for 72 weeks. Participants then switched to either daily orforglipron pills or a placebo for one year. Results showed that those who had been on tirzepatide maintained almost 75% of their weight loss after switching to the pill, compared with 49% for the placebo group. For semaglutide, patients maintained almost 80% of their previous weight loss, versus 38% for placebo.
Improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels were also maintained in those taking the pill. Dr Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Center at Weill Cornell Medicine, said the findings support treating obesity like other chronic diseases. He noted that effective obesity treatment could reduce the need for other medications: “The average patient we see is on seven medications and has sleep apnoea.”
Dr Marie Spreckley from the University of Cambridge said many patients prefer oral therapies over injections due to convenience and cost. Dr Simon Cork from Anglia Ruskin University highlighted that oral medications are cheaper to manufacture, which could improve long-term applicability for the NHS. He added that more research is needed, but the findings point to a potential future for obesity treatment.
