A new study published in Nature Medicine suggests that orforglipron, an oral medication, could help people maintain weight loss after stopping GLP-1 injections like Mounjaro or Wegovy. The trial followed 376 participants in the US who had already lost weight using injectable treatments and then transitioned to daily pills. Those taking orforglipron retained over 70% of their weight loss after one year, while the placebo group kept only 38–50% off.

Orforglipron works by mimicking a hormone that reduces appetite and increases feelings of fullness, similar to how GLP-1 drugs function. The treatment also maintained improvements in blood pressure, lipids, and blood glucose levels, suggesting broader metabolic benefits beyond weight control. This could help reduce long-term risks associated with obesity, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

The drug is already available in the US at around $149 per month for the lowest dose—significantly cheaper than some injectables. It has not yet launched in the UK, and pricing there remains unknown. Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro, funded the study. Experts caution that long-term durability and ideal treatment duration remain unclear, though obesity is increasingly seen as a chronic condition requiring ongoing therapy.