Novo’s Wegovy Pill Delivers 3.2% More Weight Loss Than Lilly’s Foundayo
An indirect population-adjusted comparison, ORION, found that Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide 25 mg delivered 3.2 percentage points more weight loss than Eli Lilly’s 36 mg orforglipron Foundayo. The study also showed Foundayo patients had roughly 14-times higher odds of gastrointestinal discontinuation and four-times higher odds of stopping treatment for any adverse event.
1. ORION Cross-Trial Weight Loss Findings
The ORION study, a population-adjusted indirect treatment comparison of separate phase 3 trials, found that 25 mg oral semaglutide yielded 3.2 percentage points more weight loss than 36 mg orforglipron Foundayo, regardless of treatment adherence.
2. Adverse Event Discontinuation Rates
Patients on Foundayo had approximately 14-times the odds of discontinuing due to gastrointestinal side effects and four-times the odds of stopping for any adverse event compared with those on the Wegovy pill.
3. Methodology and Limitations
Investigators adjusted for baseline body weight, sex and glycemic status, but unaccounted variables and differences in trial designs could affect comparability, and low adverse event counts warrant cautious interpretation of tolerability findings.
4. Dosing Regimens and Patient Preferences
Foundayo carries no food or timing restrictions, while Wegovy requires morning fasting; in an 800-adult survey, 84% of respondents preferred Wegovy’s dosing profile, though hypothetical attributes may not match final labeling.