Lilly's Oral Foundayo Tops 30% of New US Patients; Novo's Oral Wegovy Passes 5 Million Prescriptions

Eli Lilly said its oral obesity drug Foundayo has taken more than 30% of new patients in the US oral obesity treatment market. Foundayo was launched in the United States in April 2026. Lilly's second-quarter 2026 financial report showed Foundayo generated 98 million dollars in sales in the quarter.

Oral Wegovy, whose active ingredient is semaglutide, was launched in the United States in January 2026 and was the world's first GLP-1 obesity treatment to reach the market in oral form. Novo Nordisk said in August 2026 that cumulative prescriptions for the drug had exceeded 5 million since its January launch, and it raised its full-year sales and operating profit guidance on that basis. Chief Executive Mike Doustdar said the company estimates that the oral Wegovy tablet accounts for about 90% of the US oral obesity drug market.

Published Phase III data showed that oral Wegovy produced average weight loss of 13.6% over 64 weeks at a 25mg dose, while Foundayo produced average weight loss of 11.1% over 72 weeks at its highest dose. On administration, Foundayo can be taken at any time of day, without fasting and without strict restrictions on water or food intake; Wegovy must be taken immediately after waking in the morning with only a small amount of water, and no food or drink may be consumed for at least 30 minutes afterward.

Information released by Eli Lilly citing IQVIA data showed that in the second quarter of 2026 Novo Nordisk's share of the obesity drug market was about 38.8%, while Lilly's was about 60.9%. Lilly became the first pharmaceutical company to surpass a market value of 1 trillion dollars. Novo Nordisk's share price has fallen sharply since peaking in 2024 and is currently down about two-thirds from its historical high.